Power Through The Limits
by Altair-Ego
Summary: Saitama never thought he would be taking on an apprentice let alone two, however he feels like he could actually help this one out. She's a bit frumpy, not too strong or reliable, kind of mushy all around, and to be honest a total loser, but there's at least something to work with. He can help build her from the ground up and help push her through the limits.
1. Power Through The Limits

**Power Through The Limits**

"Get up." The sheets were snatched out from underneath her, she fell to the ground slamming her head on the way down. "Hurry up and get your clothes on time for more practice." The hero checked his phone, twenty new messages, fifty emails to be read by him personally, and a reminder for an interview at nine. "Why are you just sitting there hurry up and get ready!"

She smiled, rubbing the back of her head, even though he was yelling she was just glad he had graced her with his presence. She checked over through her emails quickly before rushing over to her closet. One from Tatsumaki, another from Lightspeed and Metal Bat, Child Emperor, Stinger, Bang, Fubuki too, looks like she had a lot to compile for their pages later. "The sun looks really pretty today, I can tell it's going to be a great one!"

Cerci grabbed her clothes and glasses then rushed down the ladder from the attic. Their house was incredibly large but Amai wanted ninety-nine percent of the space for himself, who was she to deny him what he wanted, as long as he was happy. She caught up to her brother in seconds and hugged him, but as quickly as she had gotten her arms wrapped around him her pulled them off, huffing as he walked.

Down one floor, then three more, and then another, into the basement. The girl followed closely behind her brother, the metallic walls along their path were all cracked and muddy, something had been dragged down here against it's will kind of like her. "So what's down her?" She asked. The number one A-ranked hero glanced back but refused to answer her question, he didn't want to waste his breath. "Well whatever it is I bet it'll be great since it's coming from you Amai."

The hallway came to a close, the door read caution. He opened the door and looked back to his sister. "This is your last chance to prove that you're worth keeping around." With those words he pushed his last remaining family into the cage with the monster he found during one of his shoots at City Z, the dog like creature wasn't even enough to warrant tiger, maybe wolf was better.

Red lights illuminated the circular room, the dog sat in the middle, growling and snapping it's teeth. "You got me a doggy Amai? Wow thank you."The moment it was the blue hair it jumped at the girl aiming for her neck. The door closed behind her, the only thing that she could see were her brother's cold demanding eyes.

"Fight." The Mask ordered. The chain snapped, the dog smashed into the door. Cerci tumbled to ground, but quickly rose to her feet as her enemy bounded at her yet again. The drool dripped out of its mouth, its stomach rumbled, its eyes narrowed. "If you don't kill that thing it's going to kill you, stop running away and fight." She didn't have anything to fight with, no weapons only fer fist.

"Huh? Maybe this is it." She thought. "Maybe this is how I'll get my power!" She clenched her fist and smiled. "Thanks Amai, I'll definitely win." Cerci lunged at the beast only to be met with thin air as she attacked the, the monster locked it's jaw around her arm and slung her across the room. It chewed and swallowed the bits of her jacket it caught and howled.

The girl picked herself up and rubbed her back from the pain. "Bite definitely worse than it's bark." She chuckled, rushing at the monster again but try as she might, the dog was simply too fast and too strong. Its sprung from one side of to the other in milliseconds taking more and more bites out of her, with one more leap it propelled itself off of the hero's sister and nailed her into the wall.

She fell out moments later clutching her stomach, Cerci looked up to the creature a final time. "Looks like I messed up again, but Amai'll save me right." It growled more and more. "Right?" The beast reached down with ready to take a final munch out of the girl, it rocketed back sliding to the middle of the room, gates rose up puncturing the monster, skewering it. "Amai." She cried. "You saved me ag-" He sentence cut short, her brother's wiped of the blood from his boots on her face.

"You failed yet again, your worthless. You can't make the hard decisions it doesn't matter if it's a child its evil. You don't know how to dirty your hands. Again and again you've proved to be nothing more than a burden." The beast whimpered, splitting in half, something fell out of its stomach. Another little creature crawled it's way out. "Well maybe not. Kill it." He pointed. The gates dropped.

"What?" She asked holding her nose.

"Kill that thing's spawn and I'll let you keep living here. If you don't then you can leave."

Amai tossed his sister towards the creature. It stared at her, its eyes full of life, it nibbled on her fingers as she she reached towards it, sucking on it, but then released it realizing that whatever it was trying to drink from was a dry well. It then it rolled around on its stomach and yapped, even though it wasn't too loud. "You know I read books about animals, its said that the first being that they see they immediately assume that their its mother. Is that right little guy, do you think I'm your mommy?" It barked and wagged its tail. Cerci grinned. "Well I promise you that I'll be a good-"

Her brother reached to take the creature from her hands. Cerci jumped back in fear, protecting her new child that fit snugly into her hands. "Amai stop! I promise that I'll be a good mother to Rover."

"You already named that piece of garbage." He asked pulling back his hair. He shook his head in disbelief, always the disappointing child. "You know that little rat's parent killed who knows how many people and almost would have killed you to if I didn't intervene."

"But you did save me so-"

"Don't be mistaken." He silence her. "I didn't do it for you. I did it so that they're wouldn't be a mess to clean up later. Now hand it over."

"No!" She covered her mouth. "I-I didn't mean that Amai, I-I just...that Rover shouldn't be held accountable for what his mother did. He can be good, I bet he could even help you fight other monsters too if we love him enough!" The hero's eye twitched, annoyance and now she was disobeying him. He thought he had conditioned that out of her but apparently not. She really was irredeemable. A worthless and sadly not forgettable stain on the name of their family's history.

"It would be better if I just kill her now." He considered. "What's this we business, I told you that if you didn't kill that thing that you're not worth keeping around anymore. You burden. If you want to you can keep that abomination, when it grows older it'll probably end up killing you anyway so have fun playing house until then." He walked out of the room leaving his sister. "A cab'll be here for you within the hour get your shit and get out."

An hour later Amai's her brother's words held true. Luckily enough she had found a cheap place in an old town that she could live in. With her one bag, few clothes, laptop, and new friend Cerci stood outside her family's, no, it her brother's home now there was no room for her anymore. She was just a burden to her brother. "No room for burdens, big brother's got too many people to save to be worrying about someone like me."

"Alright Amai that's all of my stuff." She opened up wide for a hug but it would never be returned. She dropped her arms and smiled nonetheless. "I promise that I'll be strong someday, I know I'm a burden now but the next time you see me I won't be!" She jumped into the cab, the engine revved to life and started moving. "I love you brother! See you soon!"

"Hm." He scoffed. "Be dead before then will you?"

 _~City- Z Outskirts~_

The blue haired girl pet her sleeping dog. "Almost there." She looked out the window to the city she's probably have to walk a far way to get to the shopping district or anything but it would be good exercise. The cab halted. "Huh? Excuse me sir but my new address is still a few miles from here."

"The meter's out lady. Your friend only payed for me to go this far and that's only as far as I'm going."

"Don't you think you could at least take me into the city, please?"

"What do you think this is a charity? Get out!" Cerci collected her things and tucked Rover into her jacket poking his head out of the hold his parent created for him. She sighed and waved to the cab driver thanking him for bringing her a far as he did even though he only did it because he had to. She started walking, thankfully the sun wasn't beating down too hard.

"Looks like I'll have to find a new way to train now that Amai's too busy. Maybe I can join one of the local dojos and start training. I mean I'm fairly athletic but probably not enough to warrant any honors." She groaned. "But I can't let that keep me down, I promised Amai that I'd be really strong so no matter what I need to do I've got to do I'll do it!"

Dark clouds were gathered around the city, lightning strikes were going off all around. There was something in the air, a bird or plane maybe. "City Z doesn't have am airport does it?" She wondered. "Pretty sure it doesn't, but maybe I can ask some heroes who live around here. " Her phone rang, she checked the caller ID, the picture of Tatsumaki showed on the screen with her cheeks puffed out, she hated that picture, but the taker didn't. The picture had all the heroine's best features highlighted but kept her childish nature about her all the same keeping Tornado cute. "Aw man almost out of battery." Cerci picked up the pace finally making it into the city after an hour's worth of walking.

She stepped into the nearest dollar store and purchased some dog food, two bowls, and a leash, after taking her money the clerk dashed out of the store. Next she went into a coffee store but there was no one there, she plugged her phone into the wall and called her friend back. Nothing but the answering solemn tone of the answering machine. "Oh looks like she left a voice message."

"Cerci I wanted to let you know that I'm com-" _Boom! Boom!_ The thunder was really kicking in drowning out Tornado's voice message, maybe it was a monster storm. She didn't put this idea aside with all the raise in attacks recently that very well could be the answer.

Her phone buzzed with the Jaws ringtone she had set. "Looks like Tatsumaki's calling back." She pressed the button, answering the phone. The ceiling caved in, everything went quiet for a moment. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Cerci forced the rubble off of herself, searching for her bags in the remains of the destroyed building. "Where the heck are my glasses at?"

"What kind of half assed backstory is that!?" Someone yelled. Cerci's head snapped back to see two shadowy figures not too far away from her. She couldn't make out much but for sure there was one thing, whoever was fighting was a chrome dome. "I am Vaccine Man! I was birthed from pollution of you filthy humans and so mother Earth, in all her power, gave life to me! I am her apostle and you say you do this for fun! For fun!? You humans really are a disgusting bunch, I will take great pleasure in-" _Crack!_

Whoever was yelling had their speech cut short. "All it took was one punch again! Damn it!" Who else was there? A hero maybe. "Got dang it," They sighed. "Guess I'll head home now."

"Ah here they are! Hello?" She asked looking all around. They only things left that weren't destroyed were the bodies of Vaccine Man and of some little girl. She looked left then right again, their really was no one here. "Whoever it was sure did get out of there it a hurry, could it have been Blast? It does fit all of their credentials at least, no one's around, they weren't inhibited by the organization like they ask...hm. That sucks, might've been my only chance to meet them." She sighed. "Can't believe you actually slept through all of that, Rover." She said patting her monster's head.

Night descended quickly after that. All the street signs were bent and wiped of their paint making them almost unreadable, very few of the streetlights still worked keep her path very dark, debris was scattered all over the ground one false step could lead to a trip to the hospital. Cerci rubbed her nose, broken, definitely broken. "Amai can be really tough when he's trying to teach me a lesson." In her haste to get out of her brother's hair she had forgotten to take any care of herself she'd need to go to the sotre later, speaking of the store she hadn't eaten all day.

She stopped checking the directions to her new apartment a final time. "Finally." She stepped into the building excepting for a receptionist to be there, however there was no one to greet her, the counter caked in dust could cause her to hack and cough but the only thing on her mind was where was the receptionist. It was late maybe they decided to take off. She checked behind the desk, thankfully all the key boxes were there and a name tag plates as well, she could decorate it to her heart's content later.

Lugging her baggage up to her floor, the lights were on in the apartment right next to her's, a neighbor in this seemingly abandoned apartment building. She knocked on but no one came to answer. "Looks like they're out for now, I'll visit them later." Cerci opened the door to an empty room. "Wow!" She yelled, earning a few whimpers from her pet. "Wow!" She said again much quieter. "This is so much bigger than the attic, aw man I have so much space for everything now!"

The girl unloaded all of her items onto the vacant floor, she put out some food and water from her dog then wrapped it up in some spare clothing she had. She laid a out a blanket to sleep on later and a second one to actually keep her warm then her pillow, next her laptop, she'd probably have a lot of pages to update, and then finally her camera. "Hopefully I haven't missed to much." Her stomach growled. "Crap I forgot I haven't eaten again, I'll check things out really quickly then find a grocery store."

The Hero Association's website lit up with an array of news she had not seen, good thing the association had backups for when she wasn't around. The first things to pop up was the news about the creature in Z City and another dragon level threat in B City. "A giant was defeated in City B by the S-Ranker King today, from the looks of it the monster could only withstand one punch from the mighty King he has since been moved to spot six for top hero. Wow, looks like King got promoted again, good for him he's been working hard from the looks of it." More grumbles. "Ok. Ok, stupid body. I'll be back soon boy."

 _~The Next Morning~_

The next morning Cerci woke up to her little friend lapping at her face. The sunlight creepped into her room. "Another great day!" She grabbed the leash and her workout gear then headed out, remembering what happened last night. Aside from getting the the gauze and splints for her nose some car monster had been completely obliterated on, whoever had done it had to be at least and A rank hero, but she doubted that Stinger or Max had been by. "Hm, maybe it was the same person who killed Vaccination Man, but I think I would have heard about a hero with suck destructive power or at the least someone would have reported it...good think I sent in those picture maybe someone will claim the work."

Her phone was ringing on the return trip to their house, another successful kilometer for the day."Thankfully the grocery store's only five miles away. It only took six hours and now it was only midnight when I got back, yeah I had enough money to pay for bacon and eggs as well as instant noodles for a few days. Hm, yeah I told everyone at the office that I moved last night. Mhm just tell them to send the pictures to my new address. No I already told you I don't need to be paid, I'm doing this for my friends that's enough for me. Yep, yep, ok. Talk to you later Mr. Shicchi. " It was still early why was no one on the streets,where was everyone? "Maybe that's why this place was so cheap to rent, it's near nothing and no one lives here."

"Something was shining last night too right? Maybe it was that creature's headlights...but I swear that that wasn't the only thing, there was like a flash of yellow and white too. What hero wears that formation of colors...why am I drawing a blank all of a sudden. Whoa!" The ground cracked open, Cerci tripped over as brown monsters clawed their way out of the earth.

"Haha! We have finally done it! We, the subterraneans, will now claim the earth for our own!" The creature wielding the blades yelled as their little minions cheered them on. "Now my men let us first conquer this land and- gah!"

A flash descended from the rooftops stamping its foot onto the head of the leader, their muscles all tensed, primed, and ready to for action the person raised their fist in excitement at the prospect of a challenge. "Come on then! I'm ready to fight!" A flag with the words 'sorry about that' took the place of the creatures. The man lowered his fist "I've become way too strong." He turned left, ready to head back into his apartment but stopped upon seeing the only other person in this section of the city. "Oh hi."

"That bald head. The way he talks, you couldn't be that person could you?"

"Um...did you get a nose job or something?"

 _A/N: I wouldn't exactly say I struck oil last night but I got a really, well what I consider, a fantastic idea for this story the other night. I've decided to reboot my story, take out a few silly elements, and redo my OC to make her hopefully better. I can't promise perfection but I think that things are going to get better._


	2. The Strongest Hero

**The Strongest Hero**

"Wh-what!?"Cerci squealed. She poked at her nose, and looked down at the ground in shame even though she had not had such surgery. The girl fiddled with her fingers. "Aw man is that what other people have been thinking? Now that I think about it some of those kids in the city were laughing and pointing at me."

"Hey you mumbling to yourself over there?" asked the caped baldy.

"N-no." She shouted, raising her hands defensively. Rover yelped at his owner for pulling on his collar to hard. "I'm sorry Rover!" Cerci took a deep breath trying her best to compose herself. She searched her mind for a few questions, his voice matched with the one she had heard all yesterday but that didn't necessarily prove anything, a lot of people have similar sounding voices. Maybe it was the suit, she shook the thought it'd be better to just ask him and show the pictures. "Hey you- uh?" He was gone.

He was making his way back up the stairs. "So he's my neighbor? Wait, please wait!" She trotted up the stairs after the man, who she assumed, was a hero. "I have a few questions for-" The door slammed on her face, she slid slower than molasses trying to make contact with a pancake. "Ow, ow my nose again. Excuse me?" She reached for the handle.

"Yes?" The man threw the door open sending the girl flying back into the wall of the apartment building. "What the heck?" Rover gnawed at the hero's boots, growls escaping his muzzle as he bit down harder. "What is a rat doing here? I thought I got rid of all these things. Well," He picked the dog up by its tail, preparing to launch it to only god knows where, but was stopped immediately before he could. "Huh?"

"Please don't throw him! He's really sorry!"

"Huh? You own this rat? That's weird."

"He's not a rat." He said jumping up to her feet and taking her dog from the strange man's hands. "He's a dog, his name's Rover." She stated, putting her dog back into the arms of the man. Rover jumped out of the man's arms moments later and ran back behind Cerci, growling very softly.

"Hm." The bald man tilted his head. "That's probably the ugliest dog I've ever seen." Said dog barked but still kept his distance, something in his instincts was telling him to stay far way from the baldy. "Shut up will ya!" The man barked back.

Cerci sighed and walked over to her apartment and put Rover inside. The second she closed the door a clawing sound came. "It'll only take a minute boy." It stopped. "Ok here we go." She scrolled through her camera wheel. "I wanted to ask you if you were the person responsible- oh wait sorry." She coughed twice. " I forgot my manners my name's Cerci." She stuck out her hand.

The man took it and shook back, trying his best to not accidentally shatter every bone in it. "Saitama, I'm a hero for fun."

"Saitama? Ok. Is that your hero name or real name?" She questioned.

"Real name."

"Hm, so you don't have a hero name yet? Are you a newbie?"

"No, I've been a hero for at least three years."

"What really!?" She gasped taken aback by his words. "But why would someone like him be living in an area like this? He should at least have an apartment as big as Fubuki's if he's been working for the association that long."

"You're mumbling to yourself again."

"Could you come with me for a second?" She asked politely.

Saitama scratched the back of his head in confusion, what could this weird girl possibly want from him? "I don't know one of my favorite shows is coming on right now."

"Please!" She begged. "I really just want to research a few things about you I promise it won't take long!"

"Hm...alright." She bowed then ran into her apartment, dashing out with a laptop and several memory cards. She sat down at Saitama's table pulling up the Hero association's website. The first thing she put into the search bar was 'Saitama'. Nothing popped up. Next she tried 'hero for fun', only to be met with a blank page. Finally she tried 'caped baldy' the same results occurred.

"I have special permission but I can't even find him here, even going through the admin page isn't showing anything." She sighed. "If you mind me asking what rank are you? That might make this easier."

Saitama eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "Don't you know common courtesy? You don't barge into other people's houses like that."

"Gah!" He head snapped downwards. "My brother spent so many years trying to teach me to be a good person and I'm still failing to this day. I'm sorry Amai." She said then turned to Saitama, her head still hung in shame. "I'm sorry, please forgive me." She tried making her way past him and back outside but Saitama pulled her back in and sat her down.

"Your already here just keep doing what you were trying to show me. I've already missed at least five minutes, I'll just check it out on the internet later."

After a few more minutes of searching the search results of everything she could relate to Saitama were used. No results of this man could be found. "This doesn't make any sense I can't find a single thing on you. Oh I know." She closed the site and opened the folders of her pictures. all the photos she had taken yesterday filled the screen. "Are you the person who did this?"

Saitama leaned in closer to the screen. "That car monster and Medicine Man, yeah I did that."

"Yes I was right about something!" She smiled internally. "That goes into the 'I did something right category.'" It was a very, very, very small list, but every victory she got she would take it. "W-well how did you do it?" She asked with stars in her eyes. "The only people I know with strength of this magnitude are Dark Alloy, King, Silverfang, Garou, well at least somewhat, and my brother! Come on you've gotta tell me!"

She was getting way too close for Saitama's comfort, he had to push her away a bit for breathing room. "I trained, for the past three years while I've been a hero."

"Well that eliminates the possibility of everything I've been thinking of." Loss list. "well who did you train with? Did you train under Bang, or did you take Dark Alloy's route of training with the heaviest equipment that you could find? Or maybe you're like Metal Bat and get stronger every time you get hit, but if its true that you did fight Serum Man if I remember anything its that the fight didn't last too long. Hm...how many hits did it take for you to kill that car?"

Saitama's eyes darkened, reliving that boring fight was another brand new hell that this weirdo in his house had brought him. "One punch." He lamented.

"One punch? One punch. One punch. One punch!" She repeated. "H-h-how! Only King's supposed to be that strong. Th-that's insane!" She yelled. Saitama jammed his fingers into her ear, to dull the ringing caused by his guest. "My bad." She sat back down trying to contain her excitement. The words one punch looping in her mind like a song. "Saitama, the One Punch Man...hm. Maybe that can be his mind if or when he decides to join the association." She thought to herself.

A hero with monstrous strength, who does it all for fun. Everyone has their own reason for joining the association but for fun, that really was a new one. Most joined for fame and acclaim but everyone S-Class, and Cerci's friends, had their own other reasons. For fun? For fun? The premise just sounds silly, coupled with his attitude this man could be a running joke by looks alone, Saitama, the man who's a hero for fun, so strong that he defeats enemies with only one punch.

"Its a strangely pure reason." She admitted. "Maybe he can-" She gulped. "Wait!" She bit down on her tongue keeping herself from talking, if she was going to ask her question she would at least need a little bit more information, one final question to solidify what she wanted to know. "Saitama...what did you do to train? I don't know too much but that level of strength just seems so beyond normal human capabilities, what did you do bench press planets?"

"No nothing like that, it was simpler."

"C-could you tell me?"

"Hm...sure, I don't see why not." Cerci tuned her ears to listen, what had Saitama done that was so supposedly simple? "You're a girl so you might be opposed to the idea I just want to let you know that if after you decided to train like me too." Her eyes widened at the tone of his voice. She clutched her track pants in worry that maybe she wouldn't be able to get stronger because of her gender. "But if you truly aspire you can be strong as well. Here it is," Saitama coughed twice. "One hundred pushups! One hundred sit ups! One hundred squats! Then a ten kilometer run, all in that order, with no breaks, every single day for three years! No AC in the winter or summer is allowed. Make sure you get three square meals a day, a banana at breakfast is ok, by the looks of it you're on a budget too sense you're living here. Maybe you shouldn't have spent so much money on a nose job."

Cerci crawled into the corner. "Don't say lies about other people that's mean. I haven't gotten a nose job before to make myself look better. If someone likes you they should like you for you right, you shouldn't need surgery for that."

"Oh. my bad."

Cerci returned to the table wiping her eyes. "So it was simple, that on it's own sounds harsh but...I doubt someone like me could become so strong, but, but- dang it Cerci for once in your life advocate for yourself! You want to get stronger don't you!? For Amai, for Tatsumaki, mom, dad, right? Do you want to just be a failure for ever!? No! I don't!" She but down on her lip and turned to Saitama.

"Huh?"

She grabbed his hands making sure to bow her head and not to look in his eyes. "P-please I-I'm begging you, I-I-I-I want you to train me! Please! I-I want to get stronger! I'll do whatever it takes, no matter what you ask, please! Please! Please, train me to be a hero, I want to unlock my strength and have power, I want to show that I can do things too! You're a normal person right? And you've become so extraordinary, then-then maybe you can help someone as worthless as me become even an iota stronger!" She finished.

"I don't know." She shook and released his hands, her tears were collecting on the floor. "She really does want to become strong, what are your reasons though? Well..it must be pretty important if you're going to cry over it." Saitama nodded. "She's a lot like me. A total loser, destitute, no job I'm assuming, not to mention she's also really weird." Saitama picked her head up, she was still crying. "But...that doesn't mean I'll throw the idea out the window. Give me a few days, I'll think about it."

"Thank you!" She bowed, gathering her things.

"Stop bowing so much will you its weird." She nodded while heading out the door.

"By the way..." She began. "Why did you tell me that it might be hard for a girl to do those exercises, from the sounds of it the workout will be hard but anyone can do it."

"Oh, it's because the workout made me go bald." He said closing the door.

 _~Kamen Sweet Mask's House~_

Tatsumaki knocked on the door, seconds later she used her cell phone to call one of the house's residences, but still no answer. The S-Rank hero gritted her teeth, why was she taking so long to answer the door! "Cerci why aren't you picking up your phone, I thought I told you that I'd be coming by today, I know you're in there hurry up and open the door!" She snapped her cell closed and waited a few more seconds. "That's it I'm coming in!" The green haired heroine charged her power and readied to blast open the.

"Whoa." The door opened. The mask threw the towel around his neck. "Who's knocking at this time in the morning. Oh, Tornado, how are you doing this fine morning?" He said putting on his best smile for the second strongest hero.

"Spare me." She said gliding past him and up the stairs to the highest point of the house. "Cerci?" Tatsumaki opened the hatch, but there was no one there. No bed, no laptop, nothing just an empty attic. She descended back towards the ground and glared at Amai, who was only a few feet behind her. "Where's Cerci at?"

"Hm? The leech you mean? I kicked her out a few days ago, she was taking up a little bit too much of the electricity bill."

"What do you mean kicked out? Did you send her somewhere to 'train' again?" She said her words laced with spite. "Cause if so I swear I'll kill you."

"No Tornado I haven't done anything like that this time. I just kicked her out of my home. She was a burden that I couldn't stand to carry any longer. Just like you with Fubuki."

The house started shaking, Tornado's hair split from in front of her face, the intense glare in her eyes became even more apparent. "Don't assume you know anything about my relationship with my own sister." She reached out for the hero, picking him up with her powers alone.

"Hey now." He began. "You wouldn't want to hurt me, how would Cerci feel if her best friend hurt the only family she had left."

Tatsumaki clenched her teeth and released the hero, the entire time he managed to keep that smile on his face. The number two hero flew back downstairs, not bothering to look back. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a manipulative bastard?" All he did was smile his sickening, toothy smile. The heroine reached out snatching one. "How could she love someone like you?"

"Well when one has nothing, they cling to the little that they have." He said while his tongue was played with the gap in his back row. "By that way could I have that back? This mask of mine is pretty fragile when it comes to things that revolve around my beauty. I can only contain myself so much." Tatsumaki threw the tooth back, the Mask reached out to catch it only to grasp at thing air. The fragments of his tooth floated to the ground. "Hahaha, you're funny."

"Hmp."

"IF you want to know where she scurried off to I think it was somewhere in City Z."

"News Report! There have been reports of a massive cloud of mosquitoes all gathering near Z City. There have been reports of a few clusters in the neighboring plains near the city but nothing substantial. All residents have been asked to take shelter and stay indoors. Any available heroes have been sent to the location as of this time. The threat level is demon!"

"Oh." The mask laughed. "Looks like she'll be dead fairly soon. What will you do Tornado? Do you think you can make it in time to save my degenerate of a sister." Tatsumaki rocketed off. "Hm..." Amai spit at the ground, feeling in the place where his molar had been taken. At the very least she had been kind enough to only take one from the back row. "Don't worry Tornado I'll pay you back soon."

 _~Z City Ghost Town~_

Cerci fell to the ground. "I only got through twenty five push ups. Dang it!" She ran into the bathroom changing her clothes the seconds she got out. She put her hair into two long pig tails ten thew on a cap to keep her hair in place. "I'll be late to work at this rate. At least this'll give me a chance to attempt that ten kilometer run."

The girl ran outside bumping into the only other residence of their sector of the city. "Hey."

"Ouch, what are you made out of adamantium?"

"Adamantium?" He ask, helping her up.

"You know...Wolverine...d-do you read comic books or is that just weird."

"That's just weird." She sighed and ran down the stairs. "Where are you going?"

"To work, you're still thinking about making me your apprentice right?"

"Well I did say I would. Just keep doing what you're doing for now ok?" She gave a thumbs up before sprinting down the street and out of sight. Saitama went back into his apartment with all the groceries he had went out to buy and put them in the fridge. Reports of something happening in the city showed on the screen. The bald hero put on his sandals and went out to water his cactus. A stupid mosquito flew onto his hand and tried sucking up his blood.

Saitama swatted the bug excepting it to be a small stain on his hand, but all it did was fly away. He swatted again, the buzzing still filled the air. Again. Again. Again. And again! he dropped his elephant water pale. "Damn mosquitoes." The air around the apartment whipped and whooshed from him trying to nail the flying insect but no matter what he did it would get away.

 _~Z City Ranch~_

"Hello?" She entered the establishment looking for any life. "I know I'm an hour late but I really need this job so if you have to doc my pay that's fine too." She searched for any signs of anyone but the silence continued. "Is it lunch time?" She asked. She pulled out her cellphone and tried dialing her employer but the answering machine only played, she tried again but continued her search. She opened the door to the slaughter house, she braced herself to see the remains of cows strewn here and there but an even harsher sight was displayed before her.

The smell was already unbearable, but with the thousands of little black insects all crawling and sucking at the remains of the cows was too much. "Oh lookie what we have here. Another live one." The mosquito girl buzzed. She flew towards Cerci smacking her lips. She sniffed. "I can just smell the blood in you, how delectable, but," She turned her sights to the city. "I won't be giving you any special attention the little one will take care of you." She smashed through the roof and flew off in search of more juices.

"Cerci? Cerci? Her phone sounded. "Cerci it's Tatsmaki, whatever you're doing right now I need you to listen, get out of Z City now. There's a demon level threat there, get out as fast as you can or hole up in the safest place you can think of, I'll be there soon." The call ended. The mosquitoes all turned their sights to the next course for their master.

"Haha, if only you had called a little bit sooner." She charged through the door to the ranch and ran to a nearby shed looking for anything that could help her. "A Cattle prod and a fire extinguisher!" She grabbed it and pointed it towards the door, the sound of furious buzzing on the other end. She gulped, the door snapped open, she sprayed the extinguisher, bot stopping til all its contents were gone next she threw it reaching for the prod. "Leave me alone, I hate bugs!"

"Girl please stop." The person took the prod from her and snapped it in half. He wiped the goop of the extinguisher off of himself. "You're safe now."

"Huh?" She opened her eyes. "Um, who are you?"

The gears in his arms all shined a bright orange. He clicked the remaining bits of extinguisher off of his boots and turned to leave. His mission needed to be completed but as he had been told by his parents it was only common courtesy to tell someone your name when they ask. "My name is Genos."


	3. The Defeated Cyborg

**The Defeated Cyborg**

"Genos, huh? I swear that I've heard that name somewhere before." She said gripping her. "Wait a second I-" He was gone. "Again?" She slumped over and sighed, she then ran outside to see the young man flying towards the city, a trail of cinders following in his wake. "Well at least he's heading there,to Z City,...where the demon level threat is, and my apartment and Rover, and holy crap Saitama's still in the city! Crap, crap, crap! There's gotta be something around here, oh there a truck."

Cerci sprinted towards the abandoned vehicle and threw the door open, the husk of one of the ranch hands leaned out, covering her nose from the stench she yanked his bony fingers off the wheel. The girl tossed the corpse out and put him over in a patch of flowers. "Really sorry!" She said. "I promise to come back and give you a proper burial!" The engine revved to life, the grass ripped up from the earth due to the ferocity of the wheels, Cerci slammed hard on the pedals and drove towards the city.

The truck stopped dead in its tracks. "Ow what the!?" Cerci looked down to the stick, there weren't any of the normal symbols of an automatic shown, their were only numbers. "Are you kidding me? I barely know how to drive an automatic and I get stuck with a shift, she lightly banged her head against the wheel and took a breath. Now's a good a time as any I guess."

 _~Z City~_

"Here we are." The young cyborg scanned the area, no lifeforms withing five hundred meters according to his calculations, should things get hairy he knew what exactly to do. A mass of black swarmed past him all conjoining in a single form in the sky, seconds later they all dispersed, revealing their leader. A white, buxom creature groaned and mumbled something. "Incinerate!"

The creature dashed out of the way, she searched the ground trying to locate the origin of the attack, on the ground she saw a long person, to her it was just another chance at a meal. "Incinerate." He said again. The mosquito girl laughed, charging at the ground. Genos leapt back again and again, firing his cannons at the woman while he did so.

She flew back into the air, accessing the situation. "This boy's fast but," She licked her lips. "Let's see how he handles this. Go! Little ones, annihilate him." The swarm targeted the hero, he threw back both his hands singing all the mosquitoes in the radius, once the flames resided a blur flew by him. Her horn snatched his arm off but before his target could get too far he grabbed hold of her legs and slammed her onto the ground,

"You're fast thought I doubt you'll be doing much moving without your wings."

"No, please don't!" Using his remaining arm he ripped apart the wings on Mosquito Girl's back. She seized and squirmed with pain, she slung her arm back propelling Genos back some. The blonde inspected his chest, a cavity had been created from her claws, he simply shrugged. She crawled as far away from him as she could, Genos was back on the assault already. "Little ones!" She called.

Heeding the orders of the man made monstrosity the mosquitoes created an orb around her. The cloud dispersed seconds later revealing the woman all over again, she was fully healed both wings back in their original places and not an single showing of damage either. "I'll need to get rid of those first I suppose. Then," Genos raised his arm. "While they're all here I'll-" An alarm sounded in Genos' head, someone had broken into the radius.

A truck jerked and jolted down the street, a singular person with blue hair sat in it. "Holy crap, I made it." She said. "But what's with all these mosquitoes?"

His eyes widened aside from being another potential food source he wouldn't be able to fight at his full destructive prowess. "Girl!" He yelled. "Get out of here!"

"What?"

"Look my dinner has found its way too me again!" Drool flew out of her mouth as she raced towards the boy. Genos jetted his arm out and tossed her onto the ground, setting the entirety of the road ablaze once he had caught her. The mosquito woman flew near the rooftops, watching her prey. She couldn't get to the delicious morsel on the ground with that boy in the way. The scars on her face slowly disappeared, more blood pumped into her. "Soon, I won't even need the little ones."

Cerci scratched her head, something was off about this monster. It didn't look particularly strong, in truth if anything the ones really doing all the work were the mosquitoes. "Maybe if," She thought. "I got it!" She snapped her fingers and rolled down the window to the truck. "Hey Mr. Genos, if you attack the mosquitoes I bet that you can beat her easier!"

"Who're you calling a monster you ugly girl!"

"Yes I already know that, get out of here before you get hurt."

"Don't you dare take your eyes off of this battle!" Mosquito Girl bounded towards the ground, Cerci pushed the stick forward and rammed the car into the figure that was soaring towards the hero. "You damn little-" The wheels spun on her face, Cerci jumped out of the car and pushed Genos towards the clouds.

"There's your chance, hurry up and kill it!"

"Hm, you're a little bit smarter than I thought." Genos prepared to blast the now aimless masses of mosquitoes.

"Get back here we aren't done yet!" Someone was sprinting down the street spraying a can of mosquito repellant. "I'm gonna phh- Phh! Wait what the heck, more mosquitoes!"

"I know they're pretty nasty right."

"Cerci? I thought you were at work, did you get fired already?"

"No," She sighed. "My employers got killed by-"

"Agh!" The truck exploded. "I'm tired of this. Little ones!" She threw out her arms calling her minions. "Empty all your stored up juices into me!"

"That's gross." Cerci gagged.

"You're telling me." Saitama agreed.

A red tick appeared over Genos' head he could not believe the situation that he was being placed in with these two morons. "Would both of you get out of here!" Genos screamed. "You're both impeding me." Genos charged up his core and aimed for the cloud. "I'm going to scorch this entire area within the next ten seconds you have that much time to get out of the area."

"Oh Christ, Saitama we need to go!" She tugged on his arm and tried to pull him into the truck. "Saitama!" He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, the next thing he knew he was in the vehicle moving away from the scene. The area around them exploded into a massive fireball. "Aw man!" The truck lifted into the air from the force of the explosion , tumbling and crashing into a building. The baldy kicked the door open dragging his apartment mate out of the burning vehicle. "Oh cool," She coughed. "Fortune must really on be on my side today I was excepting that car too-" It exploded. "Well...at least I was out of it."

"Hm..." Saitama sounded. "That guy..."

Back near the fight Genos exhausted the remainder of his power and wheezed, he had given it everything his core had, there was no conceivable reason as to why she should have survived. The hero stood back up patting the embers off of him, another threat defeated, and he was happy, the moment he thought of the feeling it was whisked away from his chest.

He looked down to his hands, thinking about all the enemies he had vanquished. More than likely that was the only creature that he would be able to enjoy a battle with for some time...their was something nagging at him, he was right. It had been quite some time since he felt such pleasure. "Its already the end, what a fleeting feeling, happiness, joy, in exchange for power I think I've lost my humanity."

He let his arms fall and started walking, he needed repairs, the next threat was bound to come out of nowhere soon and he needed to be ready. "My you seem like the type of person who enjoys to monologue." The mosquito popped out of the ground.

"What!?" The concrete shredded into little tiny bits along with the cyborg. He flew into the air, tossed by the woman. With extreme speed and precision his joitns were torn from their seams and destroyed. "Gah!" Gah!" Genos grunted. His limbs and parts crashed to the ground. He couldn't move, the woman was toying with him at this point. She was laughing. The now red Mosquito Girl stomped near the defeated cyborg. She aimed one her final strike. "Damn it." Genos gripped the ground, "This can't be how it ends. I don't even have enough power left to explode, I've failed."

"Ooh what's this?" She reached into his torso and ripped the core out. "This is pretty, is this what makes you tick, little tin man?" She squeezed down on the core, sending sparks flying out of Genos, he hand no choice but to sit there and take the punishment. "Maybe I'll take it now, it can be my new necklace."

"No!" Genos pleaded. "If you take that I'll- I'll-"

"Will you die!?" She looked dead into his eyes, the look of pure fear and defeat in his eyes showed that she was right. "Well then." She snickered. "Seeing as how I've broken your spirit and mind, I guess," She licked her lips and clamped down harder onto the core. "You can die now!" The core shattered, he color in Genos' eyes evaporated, his body flopped to the ground. "Everything's been sucked dry here Doctor, huh? You want me to return? But sir I-" She gulped. "I understand I will return now."

Mosquito Girl kicked around his body and tilted her head. She smiled at her good work, Doctor Genus would surely reward her or maybe even promote her. By now she should have surely been stronger than Beast King. She jumped into the air and flew back towards the mountains. "I think that he was somewhere over here." The two other bystanders returned to the scene to see the body of Genos.

 _~Z City Hospital~_

"I'm sorry there's nothing that we can do for him." The doctor gripped his beard and frowned. He swiveled around in his chair and looked at the duo. He tossed the papers onto his desk. "This man here is entirely made of metal, there's nothing that we can do for him." Saitama picked up the hero, Cerci followed behind him as they left the hospital.

"What're we gonna do now?" She asked. The doors slid apart, relasing them back into the warm world.

"How am I supposed to know?" It was amazing how quickly the city seemed to put itself back together after Mosquito Girl left. Everyone had returned to their business as if it had not happened in the first place. Many construction crews were fixing the city all commissioned by the Hero Association. "Well I guess we've just got to put him in the garbage or something."

"Nooo!" She shoved Saitama. "We can't just treat him like he's garbage, we don't know if he has family. Maybe if we..." She reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone, she searched through his contacts list, their were only a few names. Mother, Father, Big Brother, Little Sister, she tried dialing them but all numbers gave the same reply that they had been disconnected. The last number she tried was someone by the name of Doctor Kuseno. "Let's hope he's the lucky one."

"Hello!? Genos," They screamed. "Genos you need to come back immediately your readings spiked then suddenly disappeared I'm worried about-"

"Sir," Cerci responded. "This isn't Genos." The man gasped then asked who this possibly could be. "My name's Cerci, I think we've got the person that you're looking for. No we didn't hurt him I swear, but uh, if you want to come pick him up we can hold onto him for a little while. My friend was about to throw him out a little while ago, but- No. Well I didn't think he was garbage at least. Yes, yes, ok I understand, goodbye sir." She finished politely. "Whew." She sighed of relief. "So it looks like we need to hold onto him for a little while?"

"We?" He dropped the body onto her. "You were the one who promised to look after him." The ground creased from the heaviness of the Cyborg's weight. Saitama trotted down the street.

"S-saitama, please!" She gasped for air. "He's really! Really! Really! Heavy!"

"You said you wanted to be my disciple right? First lesson, you have to own up to all your promises and responsibilities."

 _~Ghost Town Apartments~_

"God you're heavy." Cerci set Genos down as lightly as she could in her apartment and propped him against the kitchen wall. Seeing the new item, something seemed to spark in the dog's mind, Rover lifted up his leg. "Rover, don't pee on him." She said picking him up. She pointed him outside, hoping for the stream to head out too but alas she hadn't pointed the right side of him to the outside. "Uh...uh...uhh..." She cried.

Rover wagged his tail. "Hm...how can I stay mad at that face?" She pressed her own up against his and smiled. "Looks like we're going to be roommates for a while." She examined the young man, he was pretty good looking but she tried not to focus on that too much. She unrolled her laptop charger and plugged it into the wall. "Maybe if my assumptions are correct." She jammed the end into his ear, with a jolt he stood back up.

"Don't do that that'll destroy my- what?" Genos' head snapped from the left to the right, he saw a girl sitting on the ground next to him. "You,you're that girl from..wait how long have I been out.

"Only a few hours." She responded. She motioned for him to sit on the ground. "Take a load off the mean bug is gone now."

"Well I guess I can-" The door popped open Genos fell to the ground, the power outlet slipped out of his ear.

"There you are." Tatsumaki flew in. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to find you.I swear you have the crappiest cell service ever."

"Tatsy? How did you find me? I didn't tell anybody, other than everyone down at HQ, that I moved." Tatsumaki pulled up the screen on her phone and and showed the "Find My Friend" app. There was a small icon with a picture of Cerci stuffing her face of pizza on it, there was another one with three people on it. "Well that explains it."

"Come on." She grabbed Cerci by the wrist and pulled her outside, with great ease thanks. She didn't need to put too much effort into using her psychic powers she was already so much stronger than Cerci that any resistance whatsoever would have been futile. Rover followed after his owner, trailing behind Tatsumaki. She ignored his tiny yaps and continued on. "Why didn't you tell me that your ass of a brother kicked you out, I would have taken you in, but no you decide to move the most dangerous city."

"It was the only place I could afford. I didn't want to be a bother to you."

Tatsuamki picked her up and floated her near the ground. "Why do you always assume that. You're not strong, there's nothing wrong with cowering near strong people when you're weak."

"But I-"

"Stop talking back." She raised her tiny finger. "Now you're going to come live with me, I'm sure that you'll be a lot happier there."

"Cerci," Saitama sauntered outside of his apartment. "Could you keep it down I'm trying to watch the newest episode of Mob Psycho one million." The second strongest hero raised her hand. Green particles formed on chrome dome's clothing, but aside from that he felt nothing. "What's up with my clothes." The green haired woman flung her arm to the right excepting Saitama to be sent flying with them but the only thing she succeeded in was ripping his clothes off. "Huh? What's with you midget...and what did you do with my clothes?"

"Whoa."

"You! How dare you." Tatsumaki dropped her friend she stuck her arm out and blew Saitama off of the floor. He slammed into a nearby building, less than happy about what had just happened. He was going to miss one of his favorite shows. "You're alive that's surprising, but don't get in my way again ok avacado?"

"Avacado? Where does a brat like you get off calling me that?"

"I'm no brat you stupid baldy! I am a S-class hero, someone like you better learn some respect."

"Saitama's a hero to Tatsumaki." Cerci galloped down the stairs towards the rubble that the two had created. She knew Saitama was strong but wasn't quite sure if he could stand up to the heroine, if Blast wasn't around she'd be the strongest for sure, their were few who could match up with her. Her sister Fubuki would need many more years before she could reach her sister's level at the age of ten, and possibly Blast too if she hadn't taken his spot yet, but Saitama...she wasn't so sure.

"Oh he is now, hat's his named? The Bald Avenger?"

"Stop calling me bald you shitty, short, brat."

"Stop calling me a brat baldy!" Tatsumaki collected all the rubble near Saitama. "I'll crush you!"

"No please stop Tatsy, you'll hurt him!"

"Well I guess this is what I'm doing now." Saitama pulled back his fist. "Make this quick Mob's supposed to ask that girl out this episode."

 _~House Of Evolution~_

"My my isn't this interesting." Doctor Genus flipped through the channels and stopped on one in Z City, with all the compiled data he had on the S-Ranked heroes, and other notable A rank ones, he felt as though he was prepared to usher in his new age of evolution, however there was one thing he had fallen short on. Information about the second strongest Hero, Tatsumaki. "And look at this.' He focused in on the blue haired girl.

He laughed and went into the next room. Mosquito Girl and Beast King were arguing. Armored Gorilla simply sat to the side and let them chatter, he had always been the Doctor's most reasonable creation. "I've surpassed you that is why the Doctor promoted me to second strongest. Within time I bet I'll be stronger than _him_."

"As if! If given the chance I will rip you to shreds, then feed you to my underling. Luckily for you Doctor Genus has asked us to cooperate for our new assignment." The singular light in the room shook smelling the presence of their creator, the three members of the House sat down. "We have awaited you master."

"I know." He sat in his chair at the head of the table and motioned upwards. A screen with data appeared, he pressed a few times onto the hologram and soon the entire room lit up with a variety of other colors and lights. "As you all know I have gathered you here for a very special assignment. I believe that it is time for the next phase in our plan to begin."

They all eagerly leaned in and listened. "However first, I would like one last little piece of information that I would like gathered, well two to be precise." Two separate pictures of women showed on the screen. "I would like-"

"Us to handle your dating life?" Mosquito Girl buzzed.

"Really? Finally, I've been waiting so long for this, I've longed for the day when you would take a mate and I could call her mother." Beast King and Mosquito Girl clasped their hands together. "Finally a new era can be-"

Armored Gorrila dropped his lanky arms onto them. "Please continue Doctor."

"Thank you.' A bead of sweat dropped from his brow. "Aside from my dating life, which I know learned that you are both into, the new assignment does revolve around these two women. The first one is Tatsumaki," A collection of picture showing the heroine's many exploits materialized. "She's going to be the second step in our plan, she's far more dangerous than any other target. The one I want Armored Gorilla and Beast King to apprehend is this one." A picture of Cerci showed.

"Her name is Cerci, she's the little sister of a hero known as Kamen Amai Sweet Mask, or the Handsome Sweet Mask for shirt, the number one A-ranked hero." She locked his fingers, knowing that what he was thinking was a huge gamble, baby steps would need to be taken. "After Tornado is through with the fool who dared to fight her I want the both of you to trail the girl and kidnap her."

He smiled. "She's from a family of heroes but apparently she has failed to awaken the strength within herself. We will do wither one of two things, brainwash her, and put her through the same 'trainin' I did for all of you and forcefully evoke her strength, or if that fails, she can be a guniea big and we can see what makes their family so special. I'm sure the act of kidnapping her will surely bring Tatsumaki running and then we'll capture her. I'll harness her ESPer powers and create and even more powerful evolution. The new world will soon be in my hands! Now go! Bring me my new specimens!" The creatures bowed and went on their way. "Hahahahaha!"

* * *

 _See ya next week._


	4. DNA

**Chapter 4: DNA**

She lifted a finger and dropped a boulder on top of Saitama's head. It split in half on impact he rubbed the spot where it shattered. "Huh? That all you got little girl?" Upon hearing his words she grabbed both ends of the building she had tossed him in and pulled both her forearms together sending them smashing into one another. He popped his head out of the rubble.

"How about we make a game out of this mole rat." She spat. A giant object, that resembled a hammer, made of other junk came together in the air. "Let's see if I can get the high score." The hammer clammed against the ground, Saitama ducked into the dirt at every opportunity to avoid getting hit. With every time she missed the speed of the structure sped up. The bald man had to adjust himself so that she wouldn't get any points.

"Enough of this." She pounded against the entirety of the ground smashing everything within sight. The concrete was crushed into a fine powder, Tatsumaki took a breath and wiped herself down. "Easy." She smiled. "Serves you right for trying to get in my way you octopus."

"You should really stop being so shitty brat." Saitama yawned, he was out of the ground. "Now that we're done playing whack-a- me how about you-" Saitama smashed the boulder tossed at him. "You're just determined to not be cool about this aren't you?"

"Die." Tatsumaki flung out her hands and pulled down, she propelled all the debris at the ground trying to hit her ever swiftly moving target. He was easy to keep track of but at the last second he kept dodging, she needed to fix that. "Tatsumaki please stop!" Cerci called out. She turned back for a moment to see her friend reaching out to her. Maybe it was time to stop, she was clearly stronger than this man, in her own mind.

Saitama stopped and looked back up at the woman, he used his hands to form a makeshift cone. "You done having a hissy fit yet kiddo?" A red tick of anger materialized on Tornado's forehead, her head spun around slowly as if it was a cog in need of oil, her eyes glossed over, she was going to kill that man. She floated back towards the ground, she was done trying to balance her defense and offense.

With a quick flash she tossed up the ground making a tiny dome around Saitama, she began to grind her foot against the ground. Seconds later she compressed it and expected to here the all familiar pleasing sound of a cockroach dying but it never filled her ears. The concrete exploded in all directions the man was still ok, she wasn't too surprised. She lifted a single finger, the rubble of the building formed into a giant tornado by her will and sucked everything in it. With a final thrust she slapped her hand against the ground, everything sucked in following with it. "Goodbye egg head." The heroine clenched her tiny fist stopping the flow of her physic energy, all that was left was a giant hole.

Cerci ran towards the edge yelling, "Saitama! Saitama!" A force reached out to grab her before she got too close. The green haired girl filled in the hole. "No, no, Tatsy...why-why-why did you do that? He- he wasn't as strong as you. I know you knew that, but you went all out anyway." She started weeping. "He was an aspiring hero and yet-"

"This is what happens when people get in my way." She said bluntly. "He stood in my way, I killed him, simple. That's the way the world works." She said emphasizing her last sentence. "The strong will devour the weak, the how its always has been and will be." Cerci dropped the the ground, still crying over the loss of her friend, she didn't know what to think. "Hey," Tatsumaki pulled her in close. "That's why I don't want anything like this to happen to you. How many times am I going have to remind you that its ok to stay behind strong people? So, just stop being a stubborn girl and come with me."

Why did this have to happen, why did his life have to be snuffed out so quickly? These questions swooshed all around in Cerci's mind as she struggled to grasp the words flowing from the lips of the person consoling her. Tatsumaki picked her up and they started walking. "We can order pizza when we-" The ground rumbled. "Huh? Is there a monster out here al-"

The recently filled in hole collapsed on itself. A single figure pulled itself out and rolled its shoulders, next it knocked all the dirt and debris that weaseled its way into his head. "Man that was pretty cool, I got to feel like a worm in the earth." Both womens' eyes popped out of their heads, their jaws dropped at the obscene sight. "Man I wonder where that sassy child went off to, oh over there."

The anger came back, the S class hero released the hold she had on her friend before her anger went through the roof. "You're actually still alive?" She scowled. "It was a pretty big error to try and send you into the earth I suppose. This time," She growled. " I guess I'll have to send you to the moon this time so you can't some back."

"Hm." Saitama thought for a moment. "I actually think I could come back from that."

"Let's test that then."

"No please stop!" Cerci blocked the way.

"Cerci what did I say!" She yelled. "I know what's best for you, stop protecting that idiot over there. He isn't worth the energy to spare or protect." Cerci tried to speak. "Keep your mouth shut. I'm going to finish this then we're going to have a talk." Tatsumaki moved her out of the way, her glare focused solely on the bald headed man. "What does she see in you? You can't be all that."

"I won't let you." She grabbed the heroine's arm. With her glare turned back at her Cerci felt the full fury that was in those eyes. Her body felt as if it was going to cease to function with the overwhelming pressure that was being placed on her. Thoughts surged through her mind, each more horrific than the last, she saw her body tossed, skewed, and crumpled, was Tatsumaki really going to kill her?

"Cerci! Cerci!" Her mind tried to pull her back to reality. "Come on, keep it together! I can't." She responded. "I'm going to fall apart, I'm going to die or maybe I'm already dead. I don't know how long I've been holding her arm. I can feel my entire body pulsing at once, its the only thing I can feel anymore. Maybe I'm just dreaming and I'm about to wake up and- No!" She chomped down on her tongue.

The dark thoughts all subsided. The world came back into frame again. She was still being stared down. This was really happening, she had really done it. There wasn't nay turning back anymore. "Tatsy," She whimpered. "I can't let you keep fighting Saitama anymore."

"Why? Are _you_ going to stop me?"

"I know I can't." She said choking up. "I know I can't even hope to stop you if we had to fight each other, you'd destroy me, obliterate me, you'd leave nothing left in my wake most likely, the only thing you would probably have to do is use two of your fingers to rip me apart, but still- but still- even I know," She paused. "No, I don't know, I believe that with some time I can hope I can be strong too."

"This battle wasn't for you. It might have started because Saitama got in your way and pissed you off but I know the real reason as to why you did this. You told me yourself. You say that its ok to cower behind the strong but for once in my life I see an opportunity to get stronger. You know I'm not much, I'm a total weakling but Saitama," She said looking to him. "He was weak once too, we all were. He wasn't born with a special ability or power, he got strong all on his own. He said he would be my mentor, as far as he's concerned I think that's still pending but but I- I'm sorry Tatsy, I just can't go with you. Even after all you've done for me."

"All I've ever been is a burden to people, I just want to finally get stronger so that I can pull my own weight around for once. Other people have always been standing in front of me taking all the blows while I sit behind them to live another day as a weakling. So please let me- let me-" She said choking up again, tears obscuring her vision.

Tatsumaki's rage subsided. She was angry, pissed, livid, but beneath all of that the strongest feeling was her sense of pride and happiness. This little girl she had looked after all these years had finally stood up to her. She wasn't backing down, she was showing backbone, the hero sighed. "Do you really trust that goblin over there?" She nodded. "And your sure that he can help you get stronger?" Another nod. She sighed again, but smile all the same. "Well that's good enough for me."

"Baldy!" She pointed at Saitama. "You better take good care of her or I swear that I won't go so easy on you next time." She patted Cerci on the head before flying up.. "And if you fail, I'll do more than just kill you."

"I don't plan on letting her die."

"Hey wait up!" Cerci snapped a quick picture. "You look beautiful cascading against the moonlight." The women shook her head and flew off, with only a single doubt in her mind, but she hoped that the next time they would see each other that she would be strong. That's the only thing that she could hope for, maybe fortune smile upon her.

Cerci gulped. "I can't believe that I'm actually still alive. I thought Tatsy was going to kill me for sure."

Saitama picked her up by her collar. She turned around after seeing...a little bit more of her fellow apartment member than she had hoped. "What?" He glanced down. "Oh I'm naked still, wait a second." After he was gone she waited a minute then followed him up to his room. Saitama opened the door for her and let her in. "Good thing I recorded this." He turned off his TV and turned to Cerci.

"So," He began. "Where to begin? There's a lot of things to say like how you're really weak, pathetic to be honest." She knew why did they have to keep reminding her. "But...I can't help but say that I'm surprised at you. I never thought you would have the courage to stand up to someone so much stronger than you, your friend even for someone you don't know that well. That was a little heroic." Saitama rested his hand on her head. "You did great, its official now I'll make you my disciple."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really really?"

"Really. Yes."

"Really really real-"

He covered her mouth. "Don't say it again or I'm punching you."

 _Ding-dong._ The doorbell next to Saitama's room rang. Someone was pounding on the door as if they were a police officer looking for a felon. They both stood up and looked outside the door to see and elderly man with a peculiar haircut tapped his foot outside impatiently. "Open the door! I know you have Genos inside you fiends!"

"Only one fiend, I'm the only person who lives here, and Rover's too cute to be a fiend." The doctor pointed a blaster at the girl. "Whoa, whoa, Mister I promise I haven't hurt your son at all." He dropped the gun and ushered for her to open the door, she politely did so. The doctor rushed past her and picked up Genos. His hand clamped down on the boy, whatever gloves he had on must have made it easier to carry him.

"Girl," He said. "Help me turn Genos back on. " He opened up the young hero's chest cavity. "What I need is in the backpack. Its a blue object, not very powerful so it won't hurt you. Put that in his chest and it'll turn him back on for a little while." She knew how to follow instructions well to some degree, she picked up the tiny blue object that had the words core plastered over it." As instructed she stuck it inside his chest.

The whirring sound of machinery filled the room. Genos's eyes slowly lit back up, he looked around the room again. "I'm still here." He commented. "Wait...Doctor Kuseno!" Genos jumped up in surprise but how did you...the tracker of course." He shook his own head from forgetting. Genos tripped a bit, his legs still weren't functioning perfectly.

"Come on." Kuseno helped him to his feet. "You've had quite the adventure today haven't you?"

"Yes, I haven't brushed that close to death since that day. I don't know how I'm still alive but they must have done something." Genos he nodded towards Cerci and Saitama. "I lose because of my overconfidence but I'm thankful that I'm still alive to fight another day. Thank you both."

"You saved him?" The Doctor asked.

"Well she did most of the work." Saitama said, he pulled her in front of him putting her face to face with the doctor.

"Well thank you." He shook her hand. "Thank you for saving Genos. He'll be sure to come back and thank you properly very soon." With that the two left and disappeared into the moon light. A flash of a camera could be heard before they got too far out of distance. Genos, the lone cyborg, propped up by an old man, this would be a good first picture for his profile page one day.

 _~The Next Day~_

"Alright." The next day began a little like this. "We're going to get you the first day of your next three years." Saitama crossed his arms. "First let's start off easy with the one hundred squats."

Cerci yawned, it was four o' clock in the morning. Rover managed to catch up and curled up near her feet, he went to sleep seconds after. She doubted that even Saitama ever got up this early, or any sane person with a social life either. "But Saitama I'm still-"

"Done."

"Huh?" She wiped her eyes.

"I did the one hundred squats. Your turn."

"What how did you do that so fast?"

"I just did." He shrugged. "Now get to work." He said lording over her. Cerci could feel it in her gut, by the end of today she was going to be dead. A wicked smile creeped over Saitama's face, for some reason he was going to enjoy this far more than he should. Cerci dropped low and completed her squats, though it had taken many minutes for her to do so but the moment she thought she would get a break Saitama said, "Next one hundred push ups!"

Cerci's lip quivered. The words your dead kept replaying in her mind like a broken audio tape. "My body already hurts."

"No it doesn't." He pulled her up, "Not yet at least. Go!" Rover barked out encouragement to his owner doing whatever he could to keep pushing her forwards, after she had finished the next set came. "Sit ups! Now we finish it up with a ten kilometer sprint!" Saitama sped down the street, Cerci took a moment to throw up before she she started printing. Every second that passed a gust of wind followed behind her, the glistening of a bald head was all she saw in her vision. "Come on." He ran pat. "Keep moving. She felt like she was going to cough up a lung.

The training finished. At the end Cerci truly felt like death. Her master had to drag her up the staircase to their individual apartments. She couldn't feel her own body again. "Rest up." He said tossing her onto her bed spread.

"Ow..." She moaned. "I can't believe he did that everyday for three years. If he wasn't there I might have quit halfway through. I don't know if I'll be able to do this for three full years." She stumbled to her feet and walked out to her balcony, Satiama had gone out to water his cactus. "Well I cam't go back on my word know, Tatsumaki left me in his care so I need to make sure that I at least try to work hard." She sighed. "I'm starving time to get some..." Her voice trailed off.

On the ground there were six beings. "Get her." The lion creature commanded. The praying mantis humanoid bounded towards the window. Cerci rushed back in and locked the door. he tumbled into her kitchen and reached for her frying pan. She turned on the stove to the highest setting and waited. She gulped and looked over the counter top the shadowy figure was still there.

With a mighty thrust the windows shattered. "I am Kamakyuri!" The insect screeched. "By the orders of my master I have been ordered to-"

"Ah!" She yelled. She nailed the mantis over the head with her heated pan causing him to flinch. She kept wailing on him again and again then until they were outside on the balcony again. Now on the edge she kicked him off. "I hate bugs." She muttered.

"Hey you stupid bit-" She tossed the pan back down shutting the mutant up.

"Cerci what are you doing?" Saitama leaned over the stone walls. "Are those your friends?"

"I only have friends of the..." She paused and actually thought for a moment. "The moderate human kind."

"Stop talking you two pissants!" The lion roared. "I'm tired of waiting around." He leapt up and slashed at Cerci's home. She fell back into her room, the beast was filling the entire place and was reaching for her. Rover kept barking, she grabbed her dog and rushed into Saitama's house. "Come back here!"

"Why did you run in here?"

"I was scared! Its not like I can fight them!"

"Hm...alright I'll go talk to them."Saitama opened the door to a singular huge eyeball. "Hello, my name's Saitama and guess what day it is?" Before the Beast King could even speak the hero spoke again. Friday, and that means some of my favorite shows are going to come on for their reruns. So if you could politely please quit obstructing my-"

"Out of the way!" He smacked her mentor out of the way and grabbed Cerci. "You're going to make my master very happy."

"Um if this is what I'm thinking then I need to tell you that I'm not ready to be in a committed relationship."

"Neither is he but we'll make it work."

"Hey." A hand reached through the concrete. "You bust open my door, you need to pay for this."

"Haha, who do you think you are to try and order me around." The lion mutant asked. "I am the Beast King, the second, the third," He mumbled. "Strongest fighter in the House of Evolution. Our master Doctor Genus had ordered us to come capture this girl. Anyone who stand in the way will be dealt with swiftly and without mercy."

"Yes!" Kamakyuri, smashed through the glass. "Now give up unless you want to- huh?"

Saitama's fist flew through the air annhilating the mantis. "And you smashed my roof. I hope your master is rich."

"Hm." The king tossed Cerci to the ground. "Wha!" He yelled. "What are you doing Beast King, we need her alive."

"Let go of me you stupid ape!"

"I happen to be very smart." He roared back, a small mist sprayed in her face, Cerci fell quiet moments later. "It'd be a bit of a problem if you struggle."

"Precisely, so you deal with it." The gorilla groaned. He had been delegated a task, the king was in one of his moods and wanted a fight. There was not stopping him now. "I'll be back after I enjoy this quick fight." Armored gorrila was already gone, the underlings remained with Beast King, they were all eager to see a fight. "Haha! Let's see how much you can handle."

 _~?~_

The lamp lit up, her eyes dilated at the sight. She tried moving her limbs however this time it wasn't because of her body's inability, she was strapped down on a table. "See this is why I never get drunk."

"Interesting tidbit." A voice came. The person's hand glided across the table, they brought up the light to their own face. The person was a man glasses wearing man with dark hair. He smiled wide. "Why hello dear how are you doing this evening?" He asked politely. She didn't speak. "Its rude to not respond to somebody when they speak to you."

"F-fine."

"Good, what is your name?"

"I'm Cerci."

"Good, good." He pried open her eyelids and flashed his own pocket flashlight in them, they dilated as expected. "Hearing, fine, sight, fine, all other senses, don't matter too much. So," He clapped his hands. "Seeing as how you told me your name how about I tell you mine now." He coughed twice. "I am Doctor Genus!" He snapped his fingers the panels all around the room snapped open. "I'm a genius scientist, more than likely not known by your generation."

He wandered over towards on of the orange vats. "I've been studying a variety of forms of evolution for some time now. Over the years a few people such as those in the Hero Association have interested me, my newest interest is in your friend, Tatsumaki."

"Sorry she's only into tall guys."

 _Slap!_ "I don't believe you understand the gravity of the situation that you are in. I didn't bring you here just to have you run off at the mouth." He adjusted his glasses and drug over a table, all new tools lying on top. "Aside from Tatsumaki we do have another interest, you."

"Wh-why is that?"

"Its very simple aside from being bait for her your genetics have proven to be very interesting." He slipped on his gloves and medical goggles. "You remember your mother and father correct? You were young when they died so I'm not expecting much." She nodded, she didn't dare to say anything. "Good, then you remember that she had quite the interesting power, if I am recollecting correctly then she had laser eyes." He said putting air quotes around the last two words. Another nod.

He put on a mask to shield himself from blood. "Your father had abnormal strength as well, not very remarkable I've already replicated that and if I think correctly your brother has that one. Now that's where you come in." He reached for the scalpel and let it run along the table, sparks bounced around as it grazed against the table. "I have a hypothesis, I believe that you may be carrying your mother's trait or maybe it died off who knows." He shrugged. "Where to start though? Oh how about we play a game to decide."

"A game?"

He nodded. "It very simple, judging by your grades from high school you should be more than adequate at this. Its easy, guess the number I'm thinking in my head, you get it right this process will begin less painfully."

"P-process, what-" He raised his hand again. "Six."

"Ding ding. Looks like you win." He reached for a larger tool. "Instead of your eyes as I had intended, let's see if you're carrying more of your father's genes." The blue haired girl cried out in fear no one willing to help her was listening. She struggled to pull herself up from the table but to no avail, she was captured. He made a small incision and began, her screams only served to drive the mad man more. "But believe me when I say this," He began. "I'll be getting to those eyes soon."


	5. Revenge

**Revenge**

"So you want to fight me?" Saitama asked the towering humanoid lion. The bald man scratched his head and shrugged, no reason to deny a possibly worthy challenge. "Just give me a second." He ducked back into his apartment and rummaged through his closet then threw on his boots, gloves, and cape returned outside. The hero rolled his shoulders and ushered for the Beast King to follow him down the steps.

The King chased after the man, shattering the concrete when he fell to the ground. . The other members of the House that followed their leader all crowded near the edges to watch the fight. "Alright," Saitama began. "You can make the first move." All the mutations laughed at the man. Saitama raised and eyebrow. "What are all these guys laughing at? Am I wearing me suit inside out again!?" The man checked himself quickly, worried, seconds later he sighed of relief when he realized that his suit was on correctly.

If his suit was on correctly then why were they laughing? The maned mutant wiped his eye of tears and crouched down near the bald man. He condescendingly patted the human's head and stood back up. "You silly little human, it wouldn't be gentlemanly of the king to allow someone beneath him to attack second. I shall allow you one attack but no more," He flashed his claws and held them promptly in front of Saitama. "If you do not make it count I'll claw your eyes out with these."

"How much do you want to bet that Beast King won't even leave a body?" Slugerous asked.

"I don't want to make a bet with you." Frogman stated. "You still owe me a soda from the last bet you made me."

"And you still owe me a burger from the one before!"

"Will you two idiots stop talking!" Ground Dragon ordered. "That is unless you want Beast King to 'accidentally' cut you into mincemeat in the middle of his fight." The two gulped at the thought. "Don't forget," He continued. "That guy over there killed Kamakyuri in just one punch, he might be as easy to kill as we're all thinking. We might need to be careful with this guy."

"Ha!" The three spectators ceased their speech and turned toward the third strongest member of their House, he brimmed with confidence not even slightly worried over the decease of one of his comrades. "Mosquito Girl may have usurped my position for now but by completing my task and vanquishing this piss ant I will surely regain my seat! Then I will defeat Kabuto and reign supreme but first. Human!" He yelled. "Attack me!"

The three weaklings clapped for their glorious king, they were prepared to see him vanquish his foe. "Well if if you insist." Saitama pulled back his fist.

"Sir allow me to assist you." A fireball tore across the avenue striking the largest combatant in the back. Beast King turned around to see a lone young man with his hand raised high. "You're still up huh?" Genos shrugged. "With these new upgrades you shouldn't be much of a problem. Incinerate!"

"Gwah!" The king doubled over into the apartment building taking out the staircase. "Why you little rat!" He raced towards Genos clawing at the ground as he ran. Genos hopped backwards singing the fur off of the gargantuan mutant. "Darn you!" Beast King jammed his fist into the Earth and tore up the concrete. The cyborg burned through the concrete, he sprinted toward the lion and pressed hard on his throat.

Through his choking Beat King tried to claw Genos but before he could these words rang through his ears. "Incinerate!" The blonde hero climbed off of his enemy and walked towards the following members of the House. "Now how about the rest of you-"

"What are you doing turning your eyes away from your enemy boy!" His shirt ripped, his claws out again, the king assailed the man who had destroyed his wondrous mane. "Lion Meteor Power Shower!" He roared. Just as he was about to make contact and cut the young hero to ribbons he was pushed back, the lion king fell back, chunks of meat following.

"Lions..." Saitama scratched his head. "I feel like this would have been better with that mosquito the other day." The baldy sighed. "Oh I got one..." Everyone waited in anticipation for his joke, sadly for the remaining mutants they had no choice, one wrong move and they were dead. "Crap I'll come up with one later."

"Guys follow me." Ground Dragon whispered. He dug into the ground and started digging as quickly as he could. Frogman and the slug crawled into the whole as quietly and followed after the mole. "All we have to do is get back to the base and what smells like burning?"

Ground dragon, Frogman, and Slugerous all popped out of the ground like daisys, Saitama leapt into the air and grabbed hold of the monsters. "Welcome back. You guys didn't think you were going to get off for destroying my apartment did you?" The tiny monsters all gritted their teeth as Saitama roped them all together, they kept their mouths shut.

"Hello again." Genos bowed to the other man. "I'm sorry for intruding on your fight but it appeared that you need a little help. Facing a foe much larger than you must be intimidating."

"No not really."

However Genos had not heard him. "In truth I only came back so that I could speak with the kind woman who took care of me. If you would not mind telling me where is she currently?"

"Oh. Cerci should be upstairs in her room. She was cowering the entire time while I was fighting." Genos nodded and flew up the stairs, he opened up the door to the first apartment and searched high and low in the tiny room, but he found no one expect a tiny black animal who was barking. Genos picked up the mutt and returned to the outside. "Did you find her?"He shook his head no. "That's weird, that little thing literally follows her everywhere."

"Bark! Bark! Bark!" Saitama tilted his head. "Bark! Bark! Bark!"

"Is this thing trying to talk to me?"

"I believe so." Genos crouched down and pulled a speaker out of his pocket. "Doctor Kuseno built this little gadget a while ago, who knew it would come in handy now of all times."

He held the speaker low. Genos and Saitama waited for the dog to 'speak' again. "You stupid, idiot, ugly octopus head!" Saitama's head snapped down upon hearing those words, this little dog was bad mouthing him. "You're stupid, you're so stupid! While you were busy playing around with that lion some Gorilla made of with Mom!"

"Wait a second there was a gorrila here? And whoa, whoa, whoa did you just call Cerci mom?"

"Yes she's my mom you stupid head!"

"Ok I'm getting real tired of your moth you dumb dog."

"I probably have a higher IQ than you avocado!"

"What is with brats calling me an avocado?" Saitama picked up the dog and jumped up the stairs. He tossed the dog into his owner's apartment and closed the door. His speech had now turned into full on barking again. "Freaking dog, thinks its people I swear. Ok." Saitama clapped the dirt off his hands and trotted towards the monsters. "Now," he began. "would you guys be nice and tell me where you took my disciple."

"Umm..." Frogman stuttered. "I have no idea what to say here? If we tell him where Doctor Genus is located he'll be mad at us."

"But if we don't tell him he'll kill us for sure." Slugerous chimed in. "What do you think Dragon?"

"I think we should play this smart. Think about it, if they beat Beast King so what? There's no way that they can beat Mosquito Girl, Armored Gorilla, and _Him_ all at the same time. All we gotta do is tell them where the lab is and let them get slaughtered." They all nodded. "Yeah there's no way that baldy or that robo freak can we all of them."

"You guys aren't very good at whispering."

The monstrosities all gulped simultaneously fearing the glare in the eyes of the man. "W-we're really sorry." The frog spoke up. "P-please allow us to tell you where our master is." He croaked. "Um...Ground Dragon where is exactly do we live?"

"Wha!? I thought you would know! Slugerous where is the lab located?"

"I don't know! I thought you were going to dig us there."

"Noooooo!" They cried. "What're we gonna do know, they're gonna kill us!"

"I never said that." Just as he finished his sentence his phone rang. He pulled out his phone and flipped it open. "Hello? If you wouldn't mind can you call back later I kind of need to find my-"

"No this isn't Tatsumaki. She isn't answering her phone what am I supposed to- _ow!"_ The person whimpered. You could hear the low voice of someone in the background, they were whispering threats but sadly they were far too quiet. "Its Saitama he's my mentor I'm sure he can he- No, please not my- No! No! No!" The call ended.

"I heard that." Genos put his hand on the man's shoulder. "Listen to me, we can find your friend, I think however that me might just need that little dog upstairs. If I am correct when I scanned him he appears to be a tracking breed or whatever he is. The little thing has six eyes who really knows but if I am correct then we can use him."

They retrieved Rover and set him down on the street. "What is it now? Did you find Mom yet? Its almost noon and I'm hungry."

"Be quiet for a second." Saitama laid down the light blue track suit Cerci was wearing earlier that day. "Sniff that."

"I already know what her scent is. I'm covered in it."

"Good, then start tracking."

"What for?"

"Listen to me little guy." Genos picked him up. "Your mother, as you like to call her, is in a bit of a bind at the moment we need you to help us find her. If not something very, very bad could happen to her." The dog's many eyes widened, it ripped itself away from Genos and started sniffing the ground within second he was on the trail and following the scent.

"How did you get him to listen so well?"

"I had siblings. You have to coerce children into doing what you want." Saitama nodded, it appeared that this young man was a bit more resourceful than what he gave him for. Saitama's eyebrows lowered, he stuffed his phone into his pockets and cracked his knuckles. The two men followed close behind the dog. They traveled out of the destroyed portion of the city and into the forests nearby.

They traveled at immense speeds to get towards their location. Surprisingly the dog was keeping a good pace ahead of them and showed no signs of slowing down in the slightest. Rover tried to hop up the large wall ahead of him but failed at every attempt. He tried to claw his way up but once again he failed. The black animal barked back at the heroes.

"Up here! Up here!" Genos scooped up Rover and bounded over the mountain. There it was, a building in the middle of nowhere. It was covered in moss and other various forms of vegetation. They stopped short of the door. Rover hit his nose trying to find if he could gather the scent again but to no avail. "I can't find it anymore. Its here but I can't get anything else. I'm sorry."

Genos patted the animal on its head and knocked on the door. "Looks like they are in here." Genos prepared his cannons, Saitama held his hands back and shook his head no. "Why not?"

"Cerci could be in there, who knows what level she's on." Genos nodded, his power subsided. He kicked down the door, he illuminated the dark room with his hand and began walking. Rover stayed near them. "Nope." Saitama tossed the dog back outside. He growled and tried to follow again but the hero blocked the door back up before he could. "I wonder what they have in store for us."

"Surely nothing substantial, well for me at least." Genos commented. "Stay behind me I promise to keep you safe."

"Aw really? Well I'll be sure to stay behind you." The first room opened up, a wall of flames was the only thing that they could make out. "Well you said you'd protect me." Saitama pushed Genos into the room then promptly followed behind him.

 _~House of Evolution~_

"Hm..." Doctor Genus wiped his scalpel clean and joined his clones. They observed the multiple screens. One showed a blonde young man who appeared to be more robotic than anything else, then another showed a bald man. The clones took a variety of poses as they watched Beast King be brutally defeated by the men. Mosquito Girl's head dropped. She wandered towards the meeting room where Armored Gorilla was quietly sitting.

"This is incredible."

"He killed Beast King in a single strike."

"Inconceivable! Simply Inconceivable!"

"What are we to do?"

"We might have to release _Him._ "

"Calm down." The doctor pushed his way through the crowd. He slid his finger up on one of the monitors activating all the traps from the bottom floor up. He pulled down the mask that was shielding him from all the blood and leaned back, confidently. "My fellows there is no need to worry. I doubt that we'll need to release Carnage Kabuto, these traps should provide more than enough to stop them." He announced.

"And if not." He turned back to his two brilliant creations. "We still have Mosquito Girl and Armored Gorrila here to stop them. No if you'll excuse me," He put his mask back up and pulled down on his gloves. "I need to get back to my very special guest. We're performing exceptionally well just a little bit more time and I'll," He snickered. "I'll break through towards a level of new evolution."

 _~Sixth Floor~_

"Well that was fun." Saitama wiped the grime of off his head. Genos pulled himself through the room and sighed. Whoever thought it was a good idea to literally create an entire room out of saws was an idiot. The person in charge of this House of Evolution could not be as smart as those monster men claimed to be. Genos sighed and stood close to Saitama.

Genos ruffled his hair and glanced around the room. "So you've come." A voice called out to them. "Welcome to our home." The robot gorilla stamped out into the middle of the room. "My name is Armored Gorrilla. I offer you two choices, leave peacefully and await for my master to come for you both one day, or be beaten and captured now."

"Hm..." Saitama poked his lips out and raised both his hands seemingly weighing his options. Both were unreasonable and absolutely stupid but he didn't want to be rude to the kind being who had come to greet them. "Oh I know," He clapped. "How about neither!"

Armored Gorilla sweatdropped at what this man just uttered. "But that wasn't one of the choice." He grumbled. "Fine, in truth it doesn't matter." He revved up. "Even if you defeat me now there is no way that you can defeat Mosquito Girl or our next strongest member." He uttered.

Genos grinded his teeth when he heard the name of the mutation that had killed him not too long before." You can be the first to be captured." The ape dashed across the room and slammed his gigantic palms into Saitama's forearms, the bald hero pushed him back. "You're stronger than you look."

"Genos." Saitama looked to him. "Go on ahead, I've got this. you go ahead and beat that Mosquito Chick. I'll catch up to you soon enough."

The hero clenched his fist, he ran past the two fighters and entered the next dark room. Buzz, buzz, buzz, the sound eerily filled the air. For each direction that he looked in the sound of wings danced in the opposite one. "Enough of this." He illuminated the room in one burst. Mosquito Girl sat up high licking her lips and looking down on her previously defeated foe. The pillars around the room rose up.

"I can't believe your still alive." The room lit up. "I thought I killed you yesterday but I guess you're more of a roach than a cyborg. You're more of an insect than I am." She flew down and circled the room, not wanting to be caught off guard again Genos mirrored her. "So what will it be this time? Will I be taking your head? Or maybe I'll have to take your arms, legs, head, and everything else?"

Genos shook. "Oh are you scared?" She laughed. "Well I really don't care if I can be frank." Her voice darkened, her wings buzzed louder and louder. "You've done something unforgivable, you've murdered a good friend of mine. I won't let you live no matter if you try to beg me or flee, I'll hunt you down until the ends of the Earth I will-"

The blond boy smashed through the pillars and grabbed hold of the girl, he tossed her arm on the ground. "Man I think I can really understand why people think that's annoying." He said putting his arms in the air nonchalantly. "You better not take me lightly. I'm not the same person I was before."


	6. Cracked

**Chapter 6: Cracked**

"Interesting. Very interesting. I suppose that's what I get for watching a movie based on children's fantasy." The doctor clicked the remote and turned off the set, he swivled around on his chair and observe his many monitors. He kept a close eye on both fights hoping not to miss a moment. Try as he might however his eyes darted back to the bald man who his gorilla was fighting.

The bald man had not proved to be to interesting but there was something catching the Doctor's eye as well. The man known as Saitama took blow after blow from the third strongest member of his house, Armored Gorilla's attacks were either caught by the man's fist or simply absorbed. The longer the fight progressed the only being showing signs of slowing down was the gorilla.

Doctor Genus locked his fingers and stared more and more, waiting to see what Saitama would do next. Shaking his head the Genus looked back to the fight with Mosquito Girl and the young, blonde boy. She had supposedly disposed of someone like him but here he was standing his ground with her once again. Maybe this time she would prove good on her word.

He leaned back and sighed, moment later he stood up and sauntered towards the coffin sitting on the edge of the room. The rims of it were still wet with blood though at the very least it wasn't shaking violently anymore. Every second or so it would shiver or shake but nothing much more than that. It was surprising how much effort it took on his part to actually get the person in there, how were they holding up? "Ah." The doctor pulled his own hand back. He checked his watch and sighed it still was not time.

"Like a fine cake an experiment must not be rushed. At least another five minutes. I can watch two good shows in that time." He sat back down and crossed his legs, "If only my clones weren't busy right now getting the next trial ready I oh so would love popcorn."

 _~Sixth Floor~_

"Ahhhh!"

"Ahhhh!" The room erupted into various colors, the shadows of the two combatants danced around it as they struck blow for blow. Buzzing swarms all raced towards on entity trying their best to make any sort of dent. The young hero defended himself against the barrages with great ease and set his sights on the leader. The tiny ones raced back forming a protective barrier around their master. "This boy..." She muttered.

"I know your tricks." Genos charged up not waiting to let her think of a strategy. Out of the flames the girl soared down reaching for Genos' head. He tumbled over and skid across the ground. He relaxed for a moment and stepped quietly. "No need to act like a barbarian and fight someone physically stronger than me. I've easily got enough fire power to kill her but I just need her to stay still for a-"

"No. No. No, no hiding lovey." Genos found the entire world in reverse as he tried to grasp what was happening. He had been silenter than a mouse how did she find him among all these pillars? "You look surprised. You think that you can some to our home and expect this to be a fair fight?" She asked. "How naive." Genos spun, forcing her to release him.

Where could her extra eyes be? Were their cameras? Who could be feeding her information in the midst of a fight? "Come out. Come out." She laughed. "Oh who am I kidding I know where you are." The pillar rapidly sunk back into the ground revealing the cyborg, he'd never be able to finish her off like this. "Dance for me won't you?"

Like a puppet on strings, everything movement Genos made coincided with what she wanted. He jumped for her, ducked for her, and ran for her, to escape her flurry of attacks. One burst was all he needed and sadly he would not get even that. "Damn it." He said trying to formulate a new strategy. "What can I do? What can I do?" Genos, in anger, struck the pillar behind him, the tiny flap of wings would be hear. "Mosquiotoes? Of course, they had to be all around the room."

Millions of little eyes all around the room observing each one of his movement, he knew what to do. Genos put his arms up and screamed. "Incinerate!"

"Gah!" She fell to the ground in the center of the room. Genos rocketed towards the pillars and broke them one after another. He slammed them all down on to her and jumped into the air.

"One, two three, Inciner-"

"Now little ones!" The vents broke open. The mosquitoes suspended the blond into the air, restraining his movements entirely. Weak, Mosquito Girl crawled out from underneath the rubble, the bugs healed every bit of damage he had done. "Played you like a fiddle. You should really come up with more than one plan silly boy." The girl flew up to him. "Now let's see if I remember where your heart is." She clawed from his hair, to his eye, pulling back the synthetic skin that was his face as she went, she trailed down his arm to his chest. "Tink. Tink. Tink." She sounded. "I think I hear something beating in there. Or do I?"

"Looks like our fun little game has to finally come to an end. I'll avenge Beast King and then we'll capture your little friend. Armored Gorilla should be done with him about now anyway. Hm, speaking of friends do you know that blue haired girl the doctor brought in?" Genos' eyes hardened. "Judging by that look you do. What a shame, she looked like she was really hopeful for someone to come save her. Looks like you 'heroes' aren't up to snuff after all. You especially. You couldn't even kill a little bug."

She prepared to thrust her arm. "Goodbye little bo-" She was silenced. The swarm released the hero, now directionless. Her wings buzzed a few more times then fell silent forever.

"Genos!" Someone yelled. Genos turned left to see the man he had come here with carrying the torso and head of a Gorilla. "This guy just told me where we could find the owner of this place so he can pay for me and Cerci's apartments." Genos blinked twice, how did he do it? This man not only just saved him from being murdered yet again but he had manged to defeat the hyped up Armored Gorilla. Maybe he was worth keeping an eye on.

"Come on." Saitama pat his back. "He said that he should be just through this door here, right?"

Armored Gorilla nodded. "Yes sir my master is right through this door!" He answered quickly.

Saitama set him on the ground as the two proceeded though towards the next room. It was eerily quiet almost as if a soul had not passed through here in years. Genos lit up the room with his cannons and walked around looking for anything of use. He found a light switch and flipped it on. With that they could look through the room with great ease.

Genos found many articles about a young scientist who had gone mad. They all read the same thing, they tall talked of his brilliancy and how he was stated to be ushering in a new age of science but it all stopped one day when he made a plea to a council of other minds. They all shunned him and his stupidity of ushering in a new age of evolution. His former laboratory now lay in ruins, but this one before them was up and running. Where could the man have scurried off to? "Saitama did you find anything of value?"

No response. "Saitama." Genos saw another door across the room had been opened. Genos' eyes buldged out of his head, he was not going to let another innocent be hurt or captured under his watch. The moment he was in the door way he had his hands ready to blast, but upon seeing what he did he lowered them, more disappointed than anything. "Why would they have a room specifically made for housing Takoyaki?"

Saitama shrugged. "Who knows. Sure does taste good though." The caped man handed his younger associate a plate. Genos scarfed it down and returned to the outside, the only way they were going to get anything done was by asking questions, he returned to the only other alive being in their portion of the facility. "Alright where is he?"

"Uh?" Something popped back inside the gorilla's head. "Um...um..."

"You better answer me quickly before I get annoyed."

"Well you see-"

"Ten seconds left."

"He-he's beneath the earth sir! We have a secret facility underground where it is possible that he should be hiding out at."

"Now how exactly could we get to that?"

"Well you could blow up the building."

"Ok." Genos tore open a side of the building.

"But-" The gorilla spoke up. "That wouldn't be in your best interest." He said pleadingly. "Please don't blow up our home."

"I don't see why we wouldn't. Some of the things we have seen in this house are more disturbing than the things I've read in manga and other novels. Destroying the monstrosities down here would be a service to the world."

"No need to be so mean Genos."

"Hmph." He turned on his heels. "Just get him to tell us where your friend is."

"I'm trying but you're making this kind of hard. Now Mr. Money could you please tell us where my friend is?"

"I'm not a monkey. It has been stated many a time that I am in fact a gorilla."

"You'll be whatever I want you to be if you want to keep living."

The gorilla gulped. "Pick me up, I'll show you a shortcut."

 _~Basement Facility~_

"Yes just take that thing upstairs. By now Armored Gorilla should have told them that we're down here. He just sent me all the necessary information about the two of them. If anything we only need to be worried about this Saitama person but even he can not hope to defeat Carnage Kabuto." Genus muttered. "As much as it pains me to say this," The doctor threw off his lab coat and trotted towards the end of the room, blood splattered against the ground. "I'll have to swallow my pride and ask him for help."

"Stop! Stop!" Bullet casings fell to the ground, the ground became more painted with red.

Genus stepped over the remains of himself and spoke. "Hello Carnage Kabuto," He half smiled. "How are you doing this evening?"

"What do you want fool!?" He snapped the collar off and stomped near his creator, he tilted his head and yelled. "Why aren't you sweet? Come to visit me after all this time old man? Or do you want me to call you daddy? Well to bad I ain't calling you shit!"

"No need to be so hot headed. I actually came down here to offer you something you might like."

"Huh?" He leaned in.

"I have a very interesting subject that you might enjoy testing your power out on."

"Is that so?" He asked. "Well where might this subject be? Does it have anything to do with that coffin that you brought down here?"

"No don't worry about that. That's a little project that'll be sorted out in the mean time. So what do you say Kabuto? Do you want to let loose and show these intruders what you are made of." Kabuto picked up the little man and charged. "Yes, yes, everything's progressing much better than excepted."

"Oh hey Genos I think I see something coming down the hall right now."

"Which one of these fools is it?"

"Both of them. They're both very powerful!" The doctor choked out.

"Good!"

"Its the guy Armored Money King was talking about." Plucking the man out of Kabuto's hand Saitama took hold of Doctor Genus, Kabuto flew back down the hall. "Hello." Saitama said politely.

"Um...hello?" Genus replied. "You're Saitama right?"

"Someone who knows me. I'm so flattered, but.." His voice deepened. "I need to know something." Genus gulped. "Do you really have enough money to pay for my apartment? I'm kind of broke at the moment and can't afford too much stuff."

"And also you're here for your friend that he made off with." Genos reminded him.

"Oh yeah and where's Cerci at?"

"Well... I can't exactly say."

"And why not?"

"Well its actually that big guy down there that you pushed down the hall who knows where she is. Haha, I'm sure if you go talk to him that he'll know exactly where she is." Genus said. Saitama tossed him to the ground and sprinted down the hall, Genos close behind. Genus sprang up and ran, he had to see this. A new form of evolution was bound to be created from this. If only the girl was ready for proper testing then he could have all four titans squaring off against one another at the same time!

If only Tatsumaki had answered the girl's calls when she wanted them then five! Five incredible beings would be fighting for their lives all under his roof, no matter who won they would all lose! Only he would be getting what he wanted that day no one else! "Yes! Yes!" The glaring light were all he could see, he tore into them and found an open room. With only two people in it. With a large gaping hole in one of the walls.

"Good job Genos, you really burned him. I think I just pushed him a little too hard though."

Genos' cannons lost their flare. He gripped his fist. Nothing he did seemed to work...but Saitama, what was this man? "That's fine. There's no way he could possibly be alive after both of our attacks together. Wait you only pushed him? I thought for sure you punched him at full force with the way he went flying..." Genos shook his head. "In our haste it looks like we lost the chance to question him."

Saitama shrugged. "As long as we go find his body and hope he's alive this should be fine."

Genus tip toed back down the hallway hoping to not be noticed. "Damn it! I didn't get to see the battle and more over they're unharmed. I need to get back to the girl and tell myself that- ow!" _Ruff!_ Something had bitten his left leg, no matter how hard he tried the thing would just not stay off of him.

"Is that Rover?" Genos wondered aloud?

"Yeah, I know those annoying noises anywhere."

"Did he follow us down here?"

"Let go of me you mutt!"

"Oh look Gheenus is still down here."

"Its Genus! Ow! Damn it."

"Good job Rover." Genos pulled the dog's jaws off of the man's pants leg. "Now could you be honest with us for a moment?" He asked holding the man up high. "If you would be so gracious as to tell us where our friend is we'd be very grateful. I don't want to have to hurt you." No other choice presented itself, Genus was forced to reveal the true location of his captive.

They returned to the top floor. "Funny enough she was right under your noses the entire time. He unlocked the takoyaki room and opened up to another room. A coffin in a lone ark room. "She's right here." He systematically unlocked the coffin, each lock heavier than the next, once the final one was removed it shot open.

The person inside clamped down onto the edge, water and ice following behind. The sloshing sound filled the room as they slowly climbed out. They were a pale blue and white, all the color was gone from their face. Genos turned back and glared at the doctor. He waited for an answer. "We used dry ice, it seemed to be better among bringing out the potential most of our subjects. It looks like to have proved a failure for her. Maybe something more strenuous next time." They shivered as climbed out.

She fell to the ground coughing and gasping for air. Rover was swat away, seconds before he tried licking his owner, surely she would be happy seeing him but he thought wrong. Rover tucked his tail and ran behind Saitama. What could be wrong with her? "I suppose that I'll take my le-" A gust passed by them. The ground cracked.

Genos had barely seen her move as she grabbed Genus. "Come now let's be civil." He gasped. Cerci, no whoever this was, was not in the move for talking. Static formed around their hand, then they kept punching, stomping, tearing, biting, and drooling. The light of their eye was the only thing that could be seen in the darkness, next came the tearing of meat, and then nothing, just short grunts and growls.

The blonde tried to walk over and stop the carnage. A screen turned itself on, showing the real doctor. "It seems that my plans have yet again failed." The man sighed. He then clapped and dropped his head. "I can't believe after all these years of work that my plans have all come crashing down in an instant. My plans to change the world have fallen flat and now I don't even have a flash drive to commemorate my work but..." He paused. "For some reason I feel that its alright, for the first time in years I feel rejuvenated, even through failure I feel happy. Maybe it was just me who needed to change." He shrugged. "No matter though don't bother looking for me if you wouldn't mind, by now I'm to far for either of you to track. I also promise not to be a nuisance anymore, go on. Leave if you wouldn't mind."

"Bastard got away." Genos shined a light on the man who he thought was Genus, a number thirty three showed on his undershirt. Whoa!" Genos dodged Cerci's attack not knowing how to properly restrain her, one false move and he would kill her.

The Screen flashed back on. "Oh and the girl...I don't know exactly what to say, good luck I suppose."

Her mentor bit his lip. He pushed Genos to the side deciding that he had seen and heard enough. "Cerci! Cerci!" Saitama yelled. She just turned and attacked, steam rose off of the place she punched but no actual damage had been done. He held her hand, she attacked again but he caught the other. "Calm down." She was still biting her lip, the rage in her eye, barely subsiding. "Its ok. I'm here now. You're safe."

She just wouldn't stop. "Alright then." He lightly tapped on the back of her neck, he body slacked. "Ah man." He picked her up and they started walking down the mountain.

 _~Z City Ghost Town~_

"You can go ahead and go home now."

"I think its only appropriate that I stay. I just want to thank her for helping me out. From the looks of it she may be the one in need of help now."

"Huh?" Cerci slowly got up.

"Well look who's wake." Saitama patted her head. "You're safe now."

"Safe?" She her eye shined, but then the light subsided. "Saved?" Her arms slacked, all the ferocity in her eye died. Still shivering she rubbed her eye, it was no longer misty. "S-saitama?" She muttered. "You- you came to save me."

He nodded. "Of course I did. You're my disciple after all."

"Thank you." She cried into his chest. "I thought- I thought- I thought I was going to be stuck here forever. It just wouldn't stop, he kept going and going."

"Its alright. I promise." They stayed there for a moment. Genos felt a bit out of place so he took a few steps back. Eventually the girl cried herself out and fell asleep. The hero picked her up and started walking. Her pet close by his side and the man who had helped him save her side by as well. "I won't be late anymore, for your sake at least."

"Rover... come here boy." He ducked back outside the room. "What?"

"Don't worry about it." Saitama assured her. "Just get some sleep alright." She nodded and lied back down.

Geno rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling very mush out of place. He didn't know what to make of this situation but none the less he was glad that he was still here. He'd be back with the present that Kuseno had made for her but for now he was glad he had gotten this item on the way back to her apartment. "Well uh, good night ma'am." Genos laid down a package next to her, then he and Saitama left.

Rover was sleeping outside, even with the door open he didn't want to come in. Finally back in her own room after what felt like whatever she walked into her bathroom and showered. Once she got out she tried drying herself off but stopped halfway. She parted her hair, the only thing she could see was a gaping hole. Hole. Hole. Hole. "This is what happens to the weak...and that's what you are, weak, a weakling." A voice called out, the room turned dark. It felt the the room was swallowing her, she couldn't move. "You're just gonna be swallowed up by the world." It kept telling her. Her eye continued to shine a bright red. "But don't worry...with me it'll be alright. You'll be strong. Just listen to me...little Cerci."

 **House of Evolution Arc End**

 _Sorry this one took so long to come out I've been pretty busy lately and had absolutely no time to write. Also I'm going on a trip for spring break and knew If I didn't get this chapter out now it'd be another month before I could write again. Hope you guys enjoyed and see you next time._


	7. Sonic

**Chapter 7: Sonic**

Cerci clutched the side of her head and slumped over; after eight non stop hours of painstaking work she manged to catch up on about twenty percent of the C-ranking heroes' pages. Doing their section of the hero food chain was always the most difficult, with them being the most numerous in and having to complete a task at least once a week she found herself in binds to keep them all up to date. Now she had to couple that with her new training and responsibilities as a pet owner.

Deciding that she had do enough for one night, but more importantly needing sleep, Cerci rolled over in her blankets. Rover cuddled underneath and they both drifted off into dreamland. Shaking, shivering, tormenting, nightmares. They came one after.

Light shined in from above illuminating everything; it was an open center with mats hundred of shadowy figures. One stepped forward two others followed each holding weapons, nun chucks, a staff, and brass knuckles. The shadow with the nun chucks shrugged its shoulders, it pointed at her the others charged. Fade to black. Rain, a towering monster loomed over her striking she flinched before it could make contact. A monster shattering a mountain, ape men, and a big bug? A room painted entirely in purple, the only light was lustrous orb and beneath sat a man golden armor and parachute pants.

The man stood up, descending his throne and speaking. The space trembled with every step he took. Gravity pulled her into the floor making her shrink in size, the man grew higher, higher, and higher still. "I..." She could not hear a single word he was saying. "...universe." She raised her ear gesturing for him to continue, though she still shivered. "I...domin...neverse." She asked for his words one more time. Her throat tightened as he latched on, he pulled her in close and with every breath in his lungs he yelled. "I am Boros! Dominator of the Universe! And its time for you to di-wake up."

"Wait what?"

"Yeah wake up. What do you want to eat for breakfast you have work to do don't you?"

"Wait. Wait," She rubbed her eyes and reached underneath her pillow, just in case she was having another hallucination. The view of her apartment came into frame. Genos stood in the kitchen in an apron. "Genos...how did you get in here?"

He set some food for her onto the table and turned on the T.V. "Your dog let me in." Cerci gripped her head trying to make sense of things, its only been a day since that incident with the Doctor right? When did she get all these new things? When did she get a job?

"Its been two months since the Hero Association seized the laboratory belonging to Doctor Genus. Currently standing outside the building we see that a few employees and heroes crawling around trying to restore the damage. As you can see Metal Knight, well more specifically his drones, are on the scene to help. I think within the coming months he'll have a new development in technology to help better defend us."

"Three months..." She whispered to herself. "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah." She said remembering. Where had the time gone? She silently ate her breakfast then threw on her uniform for her job. "Thanks for cooking me some food again Genos." She sauntered out the door.

"Whoa wait." Genos held her shoulder and brought up his hand. Raising an eyebrow Cerci looked down wondering what she was looking at. She took it into her own hand and pulled it up to her eye. "Its a present from Doctor Kuseno, an eye patch."

"Oh." Playing around with the gift for a moment she examined it. She wanted to know if it had any special properties to it, from the looks of it she could see none. "Well tell him thanks," She strapped the heavy patch on. "Hey this is pretty he-agh!" She fell to the ground in pain. Three stakes lodged into her left eye socket, digging further and further, it felt as if they were going to claw into her brain. When they finally stopped the stakes expanded filling the entire socket. G-genos why're you-"

"Sh...calm down, its almost over." She stopped screaming. "Alright how do you feel?"

Her legs and knees wobbled as she struggled to get back up on her feet. "I feel like I'm going to have to ask my Doctor for more pills." She coughed. "What the heck did you just do to me?"

"Just take this as a final thank you from the Doctor."

"Ow." She gulped. "What's it going to do to me?"

Genos shrugged not even knowing himself. He simply trusted the Doctor to do what was right and believed that whatever he had given his friend was truly going to help her. "He never said exactly his words were a bit cryptic." The girl sighed. Everyone she knew was like that. Not being able to deal with anymore shenanigans before work she trotted off in search of a bus so that she could get to work.

Rover barked and looked up to Genos, a piece of the cyborg's pants in his mouth. Genos too it back for him and leaned in closer to hear the growing dog. "Well," He began. "His words were along the line of if she wants to be a hero she'll be better off with it than without it."

 _~F-City Zeniru Heights~_

"Alright there she is."A man named Malcolm and his group of friends walked up to her desk. The tallest one in the middle spoke first a wide grin on his face. From what the other boy watching the scene could tell he trying to ask her on a date again. The girl, flushed, was giving her usual excuse as to why she could not come and manage to get them away from the conversation towards something a little more simple.

Why was she always like that even after these past few months he still hadn't managed to peg it down. The men had finally dispersed. She started looking around, probably for him. He jumped down silently and landed next to her. The purple clad ninja pat her on the shoulder and stood back, she always jumped when he did that. Some might think she would have been used to this by now. She reached for a pen and struck but he disarmed her quickly and pushed her back down in the chair.

"Some people might think its a little unruly for the receptionist to be so violent when someone sneaks up to her." The girl calmed down again, flashing him a smile before offering him a seat next to her. Sonic shook is hand no and opted to stay leaned against the wall. He needed to be ready to move whenever he was called. "So what's up you came in a little late today and what's up with," He pointed towards her eye. "All that."

The blue haired woman reached for her new eye patch and tugged on it. She rubbed her neck a little as well it was really weighing down on her. "A friend of a friend gave it to me as a thank you gift. It probably has something to do with me protecting, well more like babysitting, him when he was unconscious. He said its supposed to help me but never explained exactly how it works, pretty neat looking though right?"

"No its gaudy."

"Why do you have to be so mean all the time Sonic?" Her lip poked out. Sonic sighed, his phone began to rang. He spoke into his phone then snapped it closed seconds later. "Zeniru wants me to head up he says it looks like some troublemakers are on their way here. You ever heard of Hammerhead?" She nodded. "It looks like he's gathered up a bunch of bald thugs to help him out and from what they said they're trying to start some revolution and they're starting here. So stay here and start locking up the place. I'll be back soon."

The man pulled up his mask prepared to leave and protect his paycheck but as he was ready to sprint away he was stopped by the receptionist. "You said bald people right?" Sonic nodded. "Well just a word to the wise if for some reason you see a bald guy with a near expressionless face wearing yellow, red, and white I think it might smart to avoid him?"

"Why?"

"Well uh..." She rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment and looked down towards the ground. "He's my master and he's really strong."

Sonic stood back. Hm. Was all he could manage to say before he went off. Cerci turned her back, why did she have to give him all that information. Saitama hated it when people annoyed him for nor reason, now he's going to be mad at her when him and Sonic finally meet up. Then she won't keep teaching her how to cook then she'll have to go back living on instant noodles again!

The girl wanted to roll up in a ball but remembered that she had an important job to do. She needed to start locking the place down. Over at her desk she reached underneath and pressed a red button the metal grates at all entrances of the building. The building turned dark Cerci reached for her the speed-dial button on her desk's phone and called up for her boss. He sent down his other bodyguards and they would be here in the next ten seconds now all she had to do was get to the-

The metal grates at he front entrance flew open a group of men in black metal bubble suits stormed through. A barrage of fire arms descended upon them. Malcolm and the other bodyguards had arrived. The man with the fiery flames on his suit reached for one of the many pillars in the main room and threw it at Zeniru's men. They flew in different directions. "Kill'em boys." The men ran and annihilated the remainder of the millionaire's men.

Everyone was dead aside from her. She hid underneath her desk trying to suppress her voice, she sent out a text, but it just wasn't enough. "Hello there." A man reached over and snatched her up. She kicked and flaied but to no avail she was no match for a contest of strength with this man and his suit. "My name's Hammerhead cutie, wanna be my new girl?"

 _~F-City Woods~_

The modern ninja threw his sword back into its sheathe. He surveyed the areas in his haste he had forgotten who he was looking for. One of the men was trying to crawl away, Sonic stomped on his back and pulled the man's bald head back. "So which one of you is Hammerhead my employer said he wanted me to bring back a body?"

The man cackled, Sonic brandished a kunai. He shut up immediately. He knew he had better answer the ninja's question lest he risk death like the rest of his friends. "Boss is already gone." He gulped. "He made his way to the Golden Turd a long time ago he figured that Zeniru would send someone out to intercept him so we took the shirt way while boss took the long way. My guess is that he's already there now and slaughtering everybody in sight, unless they're a female that is Boss said he's been looking for someone new since his girlfriend left him. He'll probably break her in so-guh!" Sonic freed his captive of speech and allowed him to bleed out on the ground.

"Damnit!" Sonic turned on his heels and sprinted back. "He needed to get back as soon as possible." There was another one of Hammerhead's men. Sonic pounced and struck through. He tried to return his weapon to his holster only to see that it was gone. He looked back to see a bald man in a suit unlike the others. "Red, white, and yellow. Hey you."

"You stopped I thought you were gonna keep running without apologizing." Sonic threw a set of shruriken at him only for them all to be caught mid-air. He gasped internally. "Hey chill out there what are you a Naruto Cosplayer? These things are dangerous kiddo you really shouldn't be throwing them. Saitama crumpled Sonic's weapons into a compound of metal then grind them under his foot. Sonic reached for another weapon then remembered that he had more pressing matters. He sprinted off.

"Hey wait up." The baldy was keeping pace with him. "I was just going to ask you where the Golden Turd tower was a friend of mine sent a text a minute or so ago saying she needed me to come over immediately."

Sonic's eyes grew so it was him. "So you're Cerci's 'master'. Hm I suppose you live up to the little inkling's she has been saying about you."

"Wait Cerci's been talking about me? What's she been saying."

"Nothing important but hey you said she called you over to help right?" Saitama gestured yes. "Well did she say what the problem was going on at the Golden Turd?" He shook no. "Damnit. It must have been bad if she called for outside help." Sonic grit his teeth speeding up. "Keep up with me we'll be there soon enough!"

 _~Golden Turd~_

"Boss we can't hold this chick she keeps getting away from!"

"What do you mean she keeps getting away, you guys have got battle suits that literally make you gods! How come one girl is giving you guys so much trouble?"

"Probably about the way she gave you that shiner?" Hammerhead grunted. He pulled his finger off the intercom and sighed. Zeniru was tied up in the back corner balling his eyes out with his butler beside him. His new girl was causing havoc for his men somewhere in the tower but that's fine he'd deal with it later first and foremost he needed to start transferring Zeniru's finances to his own soo...

Hammerhead stood up and took the gag off of Zeniru. "You scumbag you think I'll let you-ah!" Hammerhead gripped the man's head causing him to yell out. He bopped him on the head and spoke. "So um what do you want?"

"Money lots of it." He demanded. Zeniru stood up an walked over to his desk and started. "Good now my account number is-"

"Whoa now Mr. Zeniru." The lights all turned off. "I can't have you going off and giving all my money away." A red light shone through the dark.

"Who's there?"

"Aw come on don't tell me you don't recognize my voice. Aren't I supposed to be your new girl after all." Hammerhead gulped the light subsided. "Sorry but I'm not much interested in muscle heads like yourself." She whispered in his ear. The man named after a shark swung back only to strike at air. "Hahaha! Come on this body's slow but I can't believe how slow you are too."

A vase flew across the room striking Hammerhead's armor. He threw something back in the same direction of the vase. "As much fun as it is playing with you my friends going to be waking up anytime soon. I'll have to finish this up quickly."

"Who-who the hell are you? Y-you can't be real!?"

"What?" She smashed him into the ground and ripped into the armor. "I'm the only real person there, the rest of you are just figments of imagination a far as I'm concerned. Now have a fun trip on your way down to hell." The doors flew open, two men ran in. "Well...as much as I'd love to kill you." She smiled. "I can't have that man catching on to me just yet. Til next time." Cerci woke up. "Where am I?"

"Gothcha now you little bitch." Hammerhead grabbed her neck ready to pop it open like a grape.

"Let her go Hammerhead." Sonic spoke up. "Or I'll do to you what I've done to your men."

"Wahahahaha! Come any closer and I'll snap this little bird's neck like a twig. You wouldn't want some innocent person's blood on your hands would you ninja boy. You better just drop those weapons of your or else." Sonic grimaced. Anywhere he could strike was being body blocked by the captive. There's no way he could save her, so he complied and dropped his weapons. "And that goes for you too baldy! If you know what's good for you you'll drop any weapons you've got on you and sit down while I finish up my buisness."

And that's when the fight was over. The air turned foul. "Baldy?" Were the last words that echoed in the room. The police arrived soon afterwords. Hammerhead and his men were begging to me taken far away from Saitama. "Well that was boring. Come on Cerci your shift's over right? That means its time for you to go train."

"Yeah." She grumbled. "By the way Sonic...you didn't try to fight Saitama did you?"

"What gave you that impression." He said quietly.

"For starters your katana is missing and I notice a distinct lack of shuriken on your person at the moment. Sonic said nothing. "Oh well." She smiled. "We should go out for lunch together or something tomorrow ok?" She said as they walked away.

"Cerci." He shouted. The ninja pulled back his arm and threw a card with a spiral symbol on the back of it. Saitama caught it for her and handed it to his disciple. "That's for introducing me to Saitama. Don't get too attached to him though. Before you know it he may end up dead."

"Hmph. Who knows he surprises me everyday." The two went off, back to their home in Z city.

 _~City Z~_

"So that's the gist of what happened." She sighed clipping Genos's hair. "There you go I trimmed you up a little bit. Now are you sure that you don't want me to do anything a little crazier." She said putting emphasis on those last words. Genos shook his head and turned down the TV that was providing background noise.

"Hm but anyway Sensei and I were planning on going to take the Hero examination tomorrow. We just wanted you to know that in case you wake up without either of us around."

"Huh? Since when do you get to call Saitama Sensei?"

"Like I said we're taking the hero test tomorrow and he said if I registered with him that I could become his disciple like you."

Is that so?" She gulped. She released Genos's air and sat back. "Well, um, would you guys mind if I tagged along?"

"You mean to take the test? Are you sure you can handle it. I mean you're a little."

"Don't say it Genos." She groaned. "I know I'm not really strong but I think I can at least get C-rank. So don't worry about me."

"If you think so its not like either of us can stop you from coming Cerci...Cerci...Cerci!" Genos yelled. She woke up from her trance like state. Genos was still sitting in the same position. "Well what?" He asked. Everything she said had been an illusion she had said none of it. She tried to speak but was too scared. She felt as if she had no place in the world of heroes.

"Well um," She continued. "Good luck tomorrow alright?" Genos tried to look back. "Hey now, don't turn around I'm trying to put a super cool design in your hair."

"What!? A design!? Stop right now!" She laughed.

"Laughing like a little fool." The voice growled. "What do I need to make you do to start fighting?"

 _Next time on Power Through The Limits_

 _The Journey of a thousand steps. It all begins with one step Cerci its time for you to truly start training._


	8. The New Master

**Chapter 8: The New Master**

Cerci groaned. "Uuuuh." She was bored. "Hmmmm." She tossed and turned all over her floor trying to think of something to entertain herself with. "Nothing interesting has happened in the past week. I've already updated all the major hero pages and all the lower ranks have been updated by the other moderators." The girl grumbled again. "Rover!" She called. "Wanna play?"

Her pet monster rolled over in his bed, tongue out of his mouth. He turned away from Cerci. "Wanna go for a walk?" He barked. "Well fine then." She pouted. "To be fair we have gone for ten walks already. Things are boring without Genos or Saitama around." She flicked through channels desperately searching for something to watch. The only thing she found was a nature documentary that only succeeded in boring her even more. "Maybe I should-" _Knock! Knock!_ " A visitor!?" She scrambled to her feet and checked out her peephole. "No way!" She opened the door. "Grandpa!"

Cerci wrapped herself around the elderly man giving him a big hug. "How are you dear?" Bang asked his granddaughter.

"I'm fine!" She bounced and invited the man in. He sat down at her tiny table while Cerci tried to make some tea for him. "Why are you here? Better question is how are you here?" She handed him a cup.

A sharp tingle went up Silverfang's back as he drunk out of the cup. This was possibly the worst tea he had ever ingested in his life. "Well," When she turned around Bang dumped the contents into Rover's water bowl, earning him a growl. "I went by the homestead some time ago and discovered that you weren't living with your brother anymore. He told me that you'd gone off to Z city."

"Oh is Amai thinking about me?" She asked excitedly.

"Hm...let's not talk about him right now." He looked to the side trying to avoid her hopeful gaze. "Tatsumaki told me how you refused to move in with her and gave me this helpful 'Find my Friend' app on my cellphone. The blasted thing took forever to track you down otherwise I would have been here sooner to help you move in." Cerci rolled her eyes. She had never told Tatsumaki to keep her new living space secret. Next thing she knew Pri Pri Prisoner might show up on her doorstop next trying to get her to move out.

"She told me that she got into a scuffle with an avocado I believed she phrased it." Saitama.

Cerci took a sip out of her tea, realizing how disgusting it was she poured it into the sink. "So did you come to try to get me to move out too?"

Bang cocked his head. "No." He said. "I simply came over to talk is all and to possibly see this avocado person. If Tatsumaki did not kill them immediately they must be quite the fighter."

Nodding Cerci took a deep breath. "Since you came to talk might as well give you the full run down of the things I went through these past few months." She took some time to explain the things that had occurred during her time in city Z. She told him about Vaccine Man, the Subterraneans, Genos, Saitama, Sonic, the paradisers, and and abridged version of her encounter with the House of Evolution.

"The House of Evolution?" He pinched his chin. "That's the name of the place Metal Knight's been spending most of his time at nowadays if I remember correctly. Interesting. But," He paused. "That doesn't explain the little accessory you've got over your eye."

She gulped and looked to the side. "Think of a lie fast." She thought. "Uh, it's going to be apart of my hero costume." She smiled. "Like I said I've been training."

"Is that so? With this Saitama person." He nodded. "Well if he is your mentor then what has he been teaching you?"

"He's been teaching me how to bulk up!" She posed.

"Ok but what has he actually taught you?"

"Um...how to get stronger."

"Moves? Techniques? Stances?" Cerci rubbed the back of her head not knowing what to say. She supposed that training was the wrong word for what she had been doing. Bang shook his head. "Alright." He stood up. "I think that I've imposed on you long enough. While you may say you have gotten stronger I am unimpressed. I won't stop you from pursuing the path you are on but know this, the same method of training does not work for everyone. You might want to deviate from your current route to see that." He left.

With a huff she sat. "He's trying to get me to join the dojo." She concluded. "There's no way I can keep up with his training regimens. I have enough trouble trying to keep up with Sensei's quota and work to pile those two but piling that on would be impossible. I need something to take my mind off of this for a little while. When are Genos and Saitama coming home?" She moped again.

Her laptop dinged. "The hero examinations must be done for the day! Yay! They're coming home soon. Wow only two new heroes huh? Their names are Saitama and Genos!" She clapped. "Their ranks are...? How did Genos get S-rank but not Saitama? Maybe he flubbed the written portion, but it's so easy." She frowned. "Well at least he can earn a most amount as a C-ranker until he does more work."

Dubstep. "Genos?" She popped up from her desk and reached for her phone.

"Cerci."

"Hey Genos!" She tried not to sound to excited. "I already got the news you and master are not official heroes! Congratulations!"

"How did you, wait you work directly for the Hero Association I forgot. Anyway Sensei and I are about to go spar in the quarry near town. I thought you would want to come by and take some pictures since you directly manage all the hero pages. We'll wait about twenty minutes before we get started that should give you enough time to get over here."

"Of course! I'll be over there in a jiff!" Cerci rounded up all her equipment and raced towards the other side of town as fast as she could.

 _~Quarry~_

"You all set up over there?" Genos called out. Cerci gave a thumbs up. Knowing these two Cerci have herself a wide birth. She did not want to get caught up in the fighting between these two. She smiled. This was going to be prime material. "She looks set." Genos rolled his shoulders. "Now are you ready Sensei?" The cyborg readied himself regardless of the response.

Saitama cracked his knuckles then ushered for Genos to come. "I'm assuming here's good."

"Remeber Sensei. Give it your all. Please grant my request." Genos blasted off aiming for the bald man's head. Saitama bent over causing Genos to miss him entirely. Seeing how he had not made any contact he boosted back only to kick at thin air before rocketing away again. While dodging a smile crawled across Saitama's face.

"This might actually be fun."

"Enough swinging and missing." He clenched his teeth then bounded into the air. He propelled down shattering the earth beneath them. Debris flew everywhere causing a fine cloud of dust to fly into the air. In the dirty a light flash then broke through incinerating everything.

Cerci looked up from her camera and checked out the freshly destroyed trees. "I don't think the people who own this place will be happy with you two terraforming." She then wet her fingers to extinguish her hair. "Did I get him?" He wondered.

"Aw man that was close." He landed. "My clothes would have been burned to cinders again."

"Ok..." He exhaled. "If that won't work then," Lightning shot out of his body going every which way. The orange lights in his body started shining brighter than the colors of the sun , all the light was on him. "I'll need more speed." The ground was blown away as he sped away. The battle took to the air. Genos shattered the mountain's face chasing after Saitama.

"Great, I lost track of them."

"What? He's gone." Stopped dead in the air. "Was I really tailing his after image the entire time? Come on then," He scanned the area. "My sensors should be able to-there you are!" He soared off through the sky after the man who appeared to only be jogging. Genos gave it his all to fall in front of Saitama. "Now! Incinerate!" All the cannons in his arms shot out following them a wall of flames. "I had to have gotten him this time. Master will have to take me more seriously with-"

Saitama patted his back. Genos gasped. "I won." He proclaimed. Genos swung at thin air again. The caped hero flopped down onto the ground almost losing his balance while doing so. Looking back at his teacher Genos' anger was apparent. From the looks and sound of it Saitama had only been playing around with him. He wanted an explanation as to why.

"Sensei," He began.

"Yo." He responded.

"Have you forgotten the rules? I asked you to dodge any attack you can that much is true but this fooling around needs to stop. I want you to stop holding back. Treat me like you would any other opponent. Keep fighting until either of us is unable to." Saitama dropped his cross arms. "Those were the rules Sensei. Stop treating me like a child."

His master took a step forward. "Show me no mercy. Those were the rules after-gah!" He kicked. "What the-?"

He swung. "Huh?" Once the air cleared they were approximately fifty meters away from their original location. Genos was stunned but Saitama was more concerned with what was around his wait. He glanced down. "Cerci? When did you get down here?" She was trembling beyond all belief. The word Death echoing in her mind. Her breath returned seconds later.

"I-I- don't know. When you threw that punch at Genos I-I- got scared and just ran as fast as I could." She admitted. "I was too slow to stop you from swinging but I really thought...that you were going to kill Genos with that punch." She finished. "The strong devour the weak Cerci never forget that. If you're too weak you'll be gobbled up and forgotten." She shook the thoughts.

Her mentor helped her to her feet. Next he patted Genos on the nose bringing him back from the daze. "I'm hungry you two let's go get some food." He trotted off.

Cerci got near Genos to make sure he was ok. Her fellow disciple could not believe the pure destructive force from one punch. Whether it was serious or not could not be discerned. "Cerci," Genos coughed. "I know that we're both prepared to do anything to get stronger. However...I doubt that either one of us could even hope to get near Sensei's level?"

"Yeah." She nervously chuckled. "I lost track of how many mountains he shattered in the distance. At least the people working here will be able to mine more now." She laughed again. "Sadly for me," She checked the camera roll. "The only picture I managed to snap was of you guys at the very beginning. Guess I need to do some more training."

"Do you guys not want noodles?"

 _~Udon Shop~_

"The tests sounds like they got easier." The group convened in a local noddle shop. Autographs plastered the wall from the many heroes and celebrities who had been buy. Quite a nice place even though it was supremely small and cramped. There were a few high school girls who looked around Cerci's age eating at the bar while an older couple were sitting to the side.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Saitama chided her.

"Sorry." She swallowed. "I'm done with appetizers. I wonder when our food's gonna holy moly mountain of meat!" The bowls were put in front of them. I didn't think there'd be that much meat. Well guys go ahead and dig in! Everything's on me tonight!"

"You know you don't have to treat us right?"

"I know that Genos." Her lips puckered. "I just want to do something nice for you guys since you worked so hard. Now eat don't let it get cold alright? Thank you for the food!" They all clapped their hands together and said. The three went about eating their massive beat bowls. Saitama and Cerci tried to consume their food but to no avail. They were down for the count but the other disciple managed to finish his meal. "How the heck are you still going?"

Genos set the bucket down. "I just convert everything I eat into energy for myself. By the way mister is that it?" The old owner of the shop mouth seemed stuck open at the spectacle he witnessed. A slim young boy his age eating so much food wasn't unnatural, but the way it got shoveled into his mouth was beyond his wildest dreams. At the very least the other two had failed so he would not have to dish out too much prize money.

The bald man brought his head up, a noddle still handing from his nose. "You're pretty awesome Genos."

Amidst all the talking and banter the wind flew in. A man walked in a wearing a white jacket that could only be outshines by his beautiful teeth. He popped his shirt, then slicked back his hair. Formerly weak and bloated the girl with the same color as him jumped up. "Big brother!" From ear to ear properly described the look on her face.

The man zoomed past her but the moment before he dropped his hand on her shoulder then whispered. Her shoulders slacked then dropped completely to the side. "So you're Genos correct? I'm Kamen Amai Sweet Mask, but just call me Amai." He flashed a smile. "I'm the A rank's number one. Would you mind coming outside to talk with me for a few minutes?"

Other patrons swooned at the man's beauty. The high school girls and the elderly couple but especially the wife. Saitama whispered over words telling him to be careful. The cyborg stood up and followed. Cerci sauntered back to her seat, sporting a dark look but not frowning. Her master raised an eyebrow wondering what could be going on in her head. "M-man Genos must be even cooler than we thought! Even Amai's already taken an interest in him."

Saitama sighed but kept his thoughts to himself. "I-I- wonder what they're talking about out there. Bet he's telling Genos something really important." She choked up. "I'm gonna- I'm gonna take off. I'll see you guys back home." She seemed like she shut down in a sense. That was the first time her mentor had seen her in such a state. What had her brother said?

"Wait...she forgot to pay."

 _~Few Days Later~_

"Where is that girl at?" Sonic asked himself. "She's not late yet but I've been waiting here for almost three minutes. Maybe I should try to find somewhere else to wait until she...she...No. Sonic no." He told himself. The man was holding his arm down trying to keep himself from throwing his kunai. "We're both off work today. This is supposed to be a fun day for us to hangout...but if I kill him." The bad habit took over. "It'll be like killing two birds with one stone!" Sonic's arm flew out.

"What?" Saitama caught the kunai. "Jack-o-Lantern Panic? What're you doing here?"

The ninja drew his blade other weaponry at the ready. "Just need to take care of some business before she shows up." They fought.

"This'll be a good chance to get out of my room for a little while. Sonic actually asked me out on a, well not so much date, but to hangout that's got to be a step in the right direction right?" She shook her head and slapped her cheeks a little bit to psych herself up. "I'm gonna be the best date ever!" Fire lit up in her eyes. "But maybe I went a little underboard. I mean my dress looks nice and all but maybe white, brown, green, and black isn't a good combo for me." She groaned.

"Just meet him near that little coffee shop take things from there stop worrying yourself." She took a deep breath and rounded the corner. "What the actual hell happened here?" A light cracked onto the ground, the ground was torn asunder, many people were picking up others and dressing wounds. Cerci looked around trying to find a reason as to why this happened.

From the looks of it the police was taking the suspect away. In the front seat was none other than the culprit...and her friend. She was feeling blue now. "It's like those moments in the anime where those purple lines come down and cover someone's face." She sighed. "Now what am I gonna do? Saitama and Genos are out again and I'm off work today. What am I gonna-Genos?"

"Hey." He flew down. "Didn't expect to see you out of your room so soon. Makes what I went to go do seem kind of insignificant now."

"Huh? What did you go off and do?"

He brandished a pair of tickets. "You said you wanted to go see that new movie. You know the one about the fish trying to find her lost family? I asked why you didn't go off to see it then you said, "I don't wanna go alone and I can't bring Rover.", then started whining into your pillow. Long story short I went to go buy us a pair so you wouldn't have to watch it alone. Are you happy?"

"...I don't sound like that." She mumbled. Genos rolled is eyes. "But," She took his hand. "Thanks let's still go see it alright?"

"That is the point."

"Um, just got a text message from my boss? Be careful if you're in Z city. We've got reports of a meteor heading towards it? We've dispatched Metal Knight and intend on calling in any other S-rankers who can help out. Should you be in danger or if his attempts fail Bofoi will escort you out of the the city and those surrounding it. Stay safe." She cocked her head. "What mete-"

"Citizens of City W through Z, there is a dragon level threat approaching the area. All those who can make a orderly and hasty exit to the surrounding cities. A meteor will be crashing in Z city soon. Repeating again the threat is dragon level." Panic broke out. Everyone started scrambling for their cars or simply started running. "Orderly, the police will arrive to help."

"Get out of here." Genos ordered.

"But I can- I was gonna say I can help too but I really can't."

"Exactly now get somewhere safe."

"Aw man." She ruffled her hair. "Alright. Alright. Time to pull up my socks, tighten my belt...and make a few calls."

 _~The Apartments~_

With Genos. "Ok." He halted and dropped down in front of his room. "Rover get out of the city." The dog barked. "Because a meteor's about to crash into the city within the hour. Sniff out Cerci she's probably already outside the limits of W through Z city by now." _Ruff!_ "I'm gonna go take care of the meteor. And in case I don't...well you know. Now go on!" He opened up the closet and pulled a briefcase.

"Judging by its trajectory," He paused. His brand news arms formed over the others. A pseudo mask formed on his face. "If I land on top of this building this'll be the perfect place to-"

"Stand back boy." A voice ordered him.

"That armor...are you Bofoi?"

"Do not address me as such. Heroes refer one another in their hero names. Metal Knight is what you will call me." The boy shrugged not really caring about names or anything. He was glad that someone else was on the scene to help him out. "That being said I'm glad this conversation was short. Hopefully the work we make of this meteor will be equal in length."

"Hm? So is this where all the action is?"

"Who are you? No wait a moment I think I know. S-rank's number three Bang, or excuse me, Silverfang."

"I see my reputation proceeds me. Pleased to meet you as well. I suppose you're Genos the new boy? Why didn't you come by the Association's building when all S-rankers in the area were called in."

"Aside from having to make a stop by my home I was already close to this site with a friend of mine. I told her to evacuate and made my way over stopping by seemed like a waste of time."

"I understand." Bang concurred. "I waited for a few minutes by myself thinking what an old man like me could do. This seems more like Tatsumaki's area of expertise, sadly I couldn't get a hold of her."

"If you knew the danger then why are you still here?"

The old man waved his hand. "I'm too old to be worrying about dying. We, as heroes, have to muddle through whatever comes our way, plan for now worry about later later. That being said however, I don't think we need to worry about later too much. Looks like Metal Knight's gone and finished up his preparations. Fingers crossed it ends up fine."

The husk of metal dropped onto another roof; its launchers were at the ready. "Firing now!" Metal Knight's rockets aimed and fired at the space rock seeking for holes to dig into. They impacted lighting up the sky in a ray of red. "Did that do the trick?" Genos squinted his eyes, thinking that possibly the threat was done for. His heart jumped again. The meteor broke the blackened clouds. "Oh well. Suppose I should go find that girl before impact now."

"Damn it. Guess it's my turn now. Silverfang you might want to vacate the area."

"Don't worry about me go ahead and do your thing." As asked Genos "did his thing", attacking the meteor with everything he had. "You're gonna need to do more than that if you want to break it down." He said though the inferno in front of him. The hero clenched his teeth and tore off his shirt, remembering what Bang had told him a few moments ago. "There we go."

Genos stuck his core into his arm. "You might actually die from this old man. I apologize if so!" Flames erupted from the cannons again struggling fiercely against the meteor. The wisps danced and faded ultimately as they proved to be no match for the giant rock. Genos pushed himself more and more before he broke down entirely. "Ten seconds til impact." He murmured. "Well...at least they're safe. Sensei will be fine I know."

"About time I found you." Cerci and Rover climbed onto the building. "Oh man that thing got really close really fast."

"Cerci!" Genos roared. "What are you still doing here! Rover too? I told both of you to get out of the city."

She shook her head. "Genos every intersection out of the city was blocked. Besides," She turned her back. "Either one of them should be here by now."

"Here you two are." Speak of one of the devils. "So this is the meteor you were talking about? Somebody else could have taken care of this." Tastsumaki huffed. "I'll do it because you asked no other reason. Should let you die for choosing that baldy." She caught it. "Where is he any-" The asteroid exploded, fragments flew into all directions in the air.

The bald man in his hero attire dropped down in front of them. "Who's this man?" Bang asked.

"Just a hero for fun." He said.

"The avocado person?"

"Balllddddyyy." The woman clenched her fist. "I could have taken care of that myself. You think you did anything? Who asked for your help!?"

He pointed. "She did."

"Why'd you rat me out Saitama?" Cerci cried.

The fearful atmosphere turned into one of comedy. The two strongest beings on Earth argued with one another. The argument was more one sided on the woman's part while the man stuck a finger into his ear. Laughing, barking, and crying filled the streets of those who were simply happy to be alive. Saitama, unlucky as he was was overlooked for his handwork. The s rank heroes received most of the fame with Genos ranking up.

"Hey isn't that him?" One of the Tank Top brothers spotted Saitama. Many people in the city when they found out blamed Saitama. "Give it up! Give it up!" They shouted. His disciples of course, stood up for him, but one could not shake this feeling in her heart. Surrounded by so many powerful people.

Sitting in her apartment day after day, going to work, seeing all the hard work her friends were doing. Her own family lineage, what her brother had said. "Am I being too rash?" 'Think and plan for now.' Echoed. "Maybe..." She shook her head. "Let me just see what I can do for now."

The next morning she climbed the mountain. "About time you showed up." Her grandfather greeted. "What took you so long?"

"I suppose." She gulped. "This is where my arc starts."


	9. Power Through!

_Wow this is my first story to ever hit one hundred followers. Thanks really are in order for everyone who has followed, favorited, reviewed, maybe even told a friend or two. Seeing as how One Punch Man season two is coming out later this year expect to see a lot more updates. Once again thank you everyone!_

 **Chapter 9: Power Through!**

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. So many stairs." Cerci hacked and pulled herself up the final length of the stone staircase. "Why did Grandpa have to put his dojo all the way up here?" She pushed open the gargantuan red doors to her grandfather's home, looking all around for any other souls. The courtyard was quiet. The many students that once filled every inch of this once famed training ground where nowhere to be found. "Maybe in here? Ah."

Bang set his sup of tea down and glanced over at his granddaughter. "About time you made it up here. It's almost eight o' clock." She sighed and dropped her bag near the entrance. He offered her a cup. She took it and started drinking with him. "So are you ready to begin?" The girl nodded jumping up from her place and getting into a fighting stance. "No you're not is the answer."

Her head snapped down in disappointment. "Why not?" She asked.

"Proper training equipment is required. Follow me." He lead her to a closet. It was filled with white training gi and weights. "First go change and put on these weights underneath your clothing." She did as she was told and found the nearest room to change in.

"How much do these things weigh?" Cerci slugged her way back into the main hall sporting her new uniform. "Ok Grandpa I got everything...who's this guy?" She asked.

The elder man pulled him to the front. This boy was muscular from the looks of it and had brown hair atop his head. "This young man's name in Charanko. He's another one of my disciples. He just arrived actually, late I might add."

"What!? But I started at six."

"Hey that's the same time I started." She smirked. "We must have missed each other on the way up. I bet we could have talked and made the walk up a lot less strenuous." Trudging over to her fellow student she put out a hand. "I'm Cerci nice to meet you." Her arms snapped back the moment he let go. "How heavy are these things?" She gurgled.

"Nice to meet you too. Glad to see someone else see's the wisdom in Master Bang's teachings."

The old man ignored both their banter. Bang felt along her back loosening the series of connected body weights. "Looks like I made it a little too tight on you." He nodded. "However you will be keeping those on." He told her. "They will be a very essential part of your training today."

She nodded. "Ok." She pumped her fist. "What are we doing first?"

"Both of you get on opposite sides of the arena. I want to have a quick assessment of both of your capabilities at the moment." They stood on opposite ends. Charanko glared at her and got into his master's stance. Cerci just put up her fist. She did not really know anything. "Begin!"

Bang's disciple skirted across the ground aiming for her legs and kicking Cerci off her feet. She rolled over dodging his next attack. She stumbled to her feet. The attacks continued. "Get a hold of yourself." Bang said. "Take a breath and analyze the way he moves." She grit her teeth and jumped as far back as she could. The boy closed the gap and tackled her to the ground.

She barely managed to ward off any strikes. "Dang it." She muttered. "Think think. The weights are slowing me down but I can't take them off. I'm not strong to begin with but if I can just hit him I can maybe hurt him. Maybe if I wait for an opening?"

Bang sighed. "Looks like we'll have to start even further down than I anticipated. Alright you to call it-"

"Hyah!" Cerci's arm jet up from her side smashing into Charanko's chin. He staggered backwards rubbing it. In that moment she ran as fast as she could and used the momentum of herself and the weights and used both arms to chop into his collar bone. To finish she wrapped her arms around his neck using her full weight to keep him down. "I think I-oh no I don't."

He stood back up. Her personal weight was nothing. It was what she was wearing that made it difficult for him to get back up. He did nonetheless however. "Good think you aren't heavy." He pulled his fist back.

"This is gonna hurt." She covered her face.

"Enough!" Bang concluded the match. He nodded. "That was surprisingly good. No doubt Charanko would have won if the fight continued but for not knowing anything she did fairly well." Silverfang thought to himself. "I'm sure you both will want to cool down after all that. Come on we're going for a little walk towards the waterfall."

"Ow!" She got dropped. "Are we going to go swimming?" Minutes later she discovered what he meant by a little walk. He had filled two buckets to the brim with water and commanded them to not spill a drop. A bamboo shoot laid across their backs connecting the buckets. Bang stayed a few steps ahead of them so that he could properly lead. "Do you do this everyday Charanko?"

"Hm? No not everyday." He said picking up the pace to keep at the same level as her. "Master said we were going to do some special training tomorrow. He probably wants me to show you how it's done so he's bringing out the big guns."

"Whoa really!? Then how strong are you!?"

"I'm Master's number one disciple!"

"Really!? Out of how many then!? If there are more people that'll be so-"

"Out of the two of us at least."

"...Oh. Guess Garou did a lot more damage to the school's reputation than I thought." She thought. "But at least there's still one brave person who wants to learn from Grandpa. He must be really something if _the_ Silverfang kept him around for so long. I bet it'll be a real blast to learn along someone who's not already super strong."

 _~Cerci's Apartment~_

"Achoo." Genos rubbed his nose. "That's strange. I suppose the Doctor must have added a new feature. Rover," He called. "Lunch is ready."

 _~Waterfall~_

"Well that wasn't so bad." Cerci heaved the heavy load off of her back and rolled her shoulders. "Maybe without all this stuff to weigh me down I might have been able to keep up with Grandpa. How about you Ch-charanko?" He was doubled over on the ground gasping for air. "Hm. Maybe Saitama's training has helped my endurance at the very least. That's good."

"Ok," Bang whispered. "Charanko get up. Cerci come over here." A set of pillars stretched across the lake at the base of the waterfall. "Both of you must get over to the bottom of the waterfall by only using the pillars. You can take any path that you want but helping one another is absolutely forbidden. The one who fails to get to the end before the other will be forced to carry all the water pales back home by themselves. Understood? Then go."

Charanko threw off his sandals and leaped. He steadied himself on one then jumped from one to the other with seemingly no problem. "Aw man." Cerci took a path to the right of his. "And jum-wah!" She fell into the water. Bang ushered for her to try again. She did and fell back into the water. "How the heck can I do this?" She whined quietly.

Halfway across the lake Charanko had to stop. He placed both feet down on the pillars and breathed in. He felt his stomach, nodded, then kept jumping? "His stomach?" She tightened her own and jumped on. "Whoa! Whoa! Hey I'm doing it." She took a breath. "Deep breathing and keeping my core tight?" She jumped again. "Oh my gosh I did it! And again. And again. And a-whoa! I-I-I still got it!" She shouted and went.

She slowly closed the lead from Charanko. "Almost there." Here eyes grew brighter with each step. "I am almost."

"Gah!" Her fellow apprentice fell from the pillar, barely holding on. Cerci observed the scene. She could win right now. "Hm. Granpa said we shouldn't help each other but...is this a trick?" The old man silently watched. "I'm probably going to get in trouble for this but uh," She quickly jumped from each shoot to shoot over to her rival's side.

"Aw man there's no way I can go off losing to the-newbie?" She extended a hand down for him. She could hardly hold herself up. "What are you?" He took a handful of her outfit and got back up, but obviously at a price. "Sorry but I ain't losing." He finished the race. Bang groaned. Of course this was going to happen.

He jumped into the water. There was something red. "What in the-" Death blinked through Bang's mind. A warping, unending darkness. He sucked up water in fear and rubbed his eyes. It was only Cerci. She waved to her master and patiently waited for him to bring them both back to the surface. "Thanks. Thought I was going to drown there for sure...why are are you staring at me like that?"

The white haired man stared her down. Was he imagining things? "What did I say about helping one another?" Silverfang shook his head. "Always with you. You're too kind at times. Alright that's enough for that. Get back over here boy." On the side of a cliff face. Bang pulled his arms together at his sides. "Breathe in."

They obeyed. "Follow my moves exactly." Bang extended his arms. His students copied him doing exactly as he did. Punching the air, kicking the air, touching their toes, and getting in a variety of stances. "Charanko you're stiff loosen up." The young man gulped his master's advice caused him to tense up even more so. "Cerci you're slow. Speed up."

"I'm trying." She whimpered.

"I don't want you to try. Do." She was silent for a moment. "Cerci. We're on the next step now stop doing that."

"But I-"

"Don't talk back." She growled. "You're brother could do this far easier. He may have forgotten the style already but at least he knew how to copy like a monkey."

"Sorry I'm not Amai." She muttered.

The small dojo continued like this for twenty more minutes. "The next step is simple." He showed them a pair of boulders. "All you have to do is break these with the styles that I showed you in the previous exercise."

"But h-how are we supposed to do that Master?"

"Master...well I suppose you should call me that in front of another student. What you just observed were motions to Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist. Albeit in slow motion. Take what I have shown you and apply it to these rocks as if they were opponents. I will say this again do these exercises alone. No helping one another. Go!"

"How am I supposed to do this? This is a boulder. A full on boulder! I can barely move already and he wants me to break these. No. Calm down. I can do this! I bet if I just cheat off Charanko a little bit I can-" The smack of meet on rock filled the air. The other apprentice was rolling on the ground writhing in pain. "Ok...just try to do something." She lightly tapped it. "Hm." She tapped it again then pull on punched it next.

She got into a proper stance hitting the same place over and over again. "Feels wrong." She shook herself. "Maybe..." She aimed for other places waiting for the feeling of weakness throughout her rocky enemy. "Is that all you can do? I expected more." He went over to Charanko. Mumbles. "What was that?" More mumbles. "Speak up Cerci. I can barely hear you."

"I said I'm trying old man!" Cut through him. There it was again.

Cerci covered her mouth in fear. She bowed to her elder seconds later rapidly apologizing for her outburst. She went back to her boulder. "Hahaha." She huffed. No headway had been made. There were small cracks around the front of the boulder but no damage had been made.

Bang looked over their shoulders. "Still a little too much for you I believe. Alright that's enough for today. Cerci as per you losing the race you have to carry Charanko's share of the water back. Also as punishment for not listening you will carry mine back as well. Meet me back at the Dojo when you've collected everything." He started down the trail.

"Ok." She moped. Cerci gathered the buckets, shoots, and filled them with water. "Super heavy." She groaned. "Huh?" Charanko put one on his back. "What are you doing?"

"Helping out duh. I get the feeling I would have lost if you didn't help me out." He admitted. Charanko looked down at the ground as they began their walk. He felt a bit ashamed taking advantage of her like that but all the same he wanted to impress his master. "She's his granddaughter she might pass me up in no time but still...Why did you help me?" He asked.

"What?"

"Why did you help me?"

"Master said it was forbidden to help each other. So why did you?"

She thought for a moment. "Well...I-I-" He looked at her intently. His ears tuned to her every 'um' as if he was about to hear some grand revelation. "I don't know really."

"What do you mean you don't know!? You think you can just go against the Master like that?"

"No it's not that it's more like...helping people's sort of in me you know? I can't explain it anymore than that." She snickered. "Sorry. I know I'm weird."

"Tch." He picked up the pace. "We're gonna be back soon. I'll give this back to you when we're almost there."

"Hm." Bang rubbed his chin from the bushes and moved backward. The boulder Cerci had beat on was still there. He rubbed the place she had hit the most. It crumbled away. "Interesting." When they returned to the dojo he pretended as if he had heard nothing. "For the final training of today we will conclude with the same way we began. Use everything you have learned today and fight one another. Begin."

Charanko swept for her legs but this time Cerci was prepared. Using as much force as she could she fell backwards and landed on his leg. With them both on the ground she snatched the other and pulled him in. She raised her elbow prepared to sock him in the stomach. He blocked the attack and pushed her off. "No way I'm gonna let her get me again." He charged.

"He's gonna tackle me." But it was a feint. As she reached out to try to prevent his tackle he dodged around her and put the girl in a choke hold.

"Give up." He told her. Her face started turning red, blue, purple. Tap out.

"I won't." She choked. She clawed at his back seeing if there was any way she could get free. She felt along his shoulder. "His shoulder? His shoulder. His shoulder!" She dug her finger into the muscles causing him to flinch. She did the same with her other hand. Now free she palmed him in the stomach making him double over. "Got ya."

Charanko recovered quickly. Cerci could only grit her teeth as he returned drop kicking her and sending the blue haired girl down. The match was over. He coughed. "What the heck was that?"

"Good the both of you." Bang helped her up. "Charanko you're doing well. If we can just get your style together we might just make a fighter out of you. As for you Cerci. You failed every test today. I'll have to ask you to stay a little longer. Charanko go ahead and head home." He left with a quick goodbye. Now that he was gone Bang brought his descendant into his home.

It was a small area a little ways away from the main training grounds. He flicked on the television and brought a plate of sushi for her. "Eat up. Where to begin? Where to begin? He sighed.

She started fidgeting. Bang knew what was about to come. He knew what she was thinking right now. "A-are you mad at me? Because you wasted your time trying to train someone who can't even follow simple intrusions." She teared up. "I understand if you don't want to-"

"Sweetheart," He began. "Even though you failed everyone of my tests today I'm still very proud of you. You could have done better but remember I limited you by those training weights. You're speed is still something astounding even with them on. Saitama must have been doing something right if at least one of your natural aspects shines through. However...you will forever be inhibited because of one thing."

"One thing? What are you talking about?"

"One thing. That darkness inside of you." He pressed her chest. "Something lingering in you. Long forgotten. It needs to be purged. If not you will never become stronger than you are right now. "


End file.
